(TIjP  i.  M.  Bill  IGtbrarg 


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D75 


Arch.\ib. 


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D75 


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PERMANENT  RESERVE 


38121 


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A.  Jiu'dau 


THE 


ARCHITECTURE 


OF 


COUNTRY    HOUSES; 


INCLUDING 


DESIGNS  FOR  COTTAGES,  FARM-HOUSES,  AND  VILLAS, 


REMARKS    ON   INTERIORS,    FURNITURE,    AND   THE   BEST   MODES    OF   WARMING 
AND   VENTILATING. 


fflKitl)  2rt)cee  J^untJteti  antt  SiDcntg  fillusttationa. 


BY   AV^J. "DOWNING, 


ATJTHOK  OF   "DESIGNS  FOR  COTTAGE  EESIDENCES,"    "  HINTS  TO  PEESONS  ABOUT 
BUrLDING,"  ETC. 


NEW  YORK: 
D.  APPLETON  &  COMPANY,  200   BROADWAY. 

PHILADELPHIA  .* 

GEO.  S.  APPLETON,  164  CHESNUT-STEEET. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1850, 

By  a.  J.  DOWNING, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern 

District  of  New  York. 


A. Jordan 


^tnvQ    UUntljrop    Sargent,    (J0q., 


O?  WODENETHE,    ON   THE   HUDSON, 


WITH    THE    SINCEKE    REGARD    OF 


€^t  Itttfrnr, 


38121 


PREFACE. 


There  are  three  excellent  reasons  why  my  countrymen  should  have  good 
houses. 

The  first  is,  because  a  good  house  (and  by  tliis  I  mean  a  fittmg,  tasteful, 
and  significant  dwelling)  is  a  powerful  means  of  civilization.  A  nation,  whose 
rural  population  is  content  to  live  in  mean  huts  and  miserable  hovels,  is  certain 
to  be  beliind  its  neighbors  in  education,  the  arts,  and  all  that  makes  up  the 
external  signs  of  progress.  With  the  perception  of  proportion,  symmetry, 
order,  and  beauty,  awakens  the  desire  for  possession,  and  with  them  comes 
that  refinement  of  manners  which  distinguishes  a  civilized  from  a  coarse  and 
brutal  people.  So  long  as  men  are  forced  to  dwell  in  log  huts  and  follow  a 
hunter's  life,  we  must  not  be  surprised  at  lynch  law  and  the  use  of  the  bowie 
knife.  But,  when  smiling  lawns  and  tasteful  cottages  begin  to  embellish  a 
country,  we  know  that  order  and  culture  are  established.  And,  as  the  first 
incentive  towards  this  change  is  awakened  in  the  mmds  of  most  men  by  the 
perception  of  beauty  and  superiority  in  external  objects,  it  must  follow  that 
the  interest  manifested  in  the  Rural  Architecture  of  a  country  like  this,  has 
much  to  do  with  the  progress  of  its  civilization. 

The  second  reason  is,  because  the  individual  home  has  a  great  social  value 
for  a  people.  Whatever  new  systems  may  be  needed  for  the  regeneration  of 
an  old  and  enfeebled  nation,  we  are  persuaded  that,  in  America,  not  only  is  the 
distinct  family  the  best  social  form,  but  those  elementary  forces  which  give  rise 
to  the  highest  genius  and  the  finest  character  may,  for  the  most  part,  be  traced 
back  to  the  farm-house  and  the  rural  cottage.  It  is  the  solitude  and  freedom 
of  the  family  home  in  the  country  which  constantly  preserves  the  purity  of 
the  nation,  and  invigorates  its  intellectual  powers.  The  battle  of  life,  carried 
on  in  cities,  gives  a  sharper  edge  to  the  weapon  of  character,  but  its  temper  is, 
for  the  most  part,  fixed  amid  those  communings  with  nature  and  the  family, 
where  individuality  takes  its  most  natural  and  strongest  development. 

The  third  reason  is,  because  there  is  a  moral  influence  in  a  country  home — 
when,  among  an  educated,  truthful,  and  refined  people,  it  is  an  echo  of  their 


VI  PREFACE. 

character — w  hich  is  more  powerful  than  any  mere  oral  teachings  of  virtue 
and  nionility.  That  family,  whose  religion  lies  away  from  its  threshold,  will 
show  but  slendor  results  from  the  best  teachings,  compared  with  another 
where  the  family  hearth  is  made  a  central  point  of  the  Beautiful  and  the  Good. 
And  much  of  tiiat  feverish  unrest  and  want  of  balance  between  the  desire  and 
the  fulfilment  of  life,  is  calmed  and  adjusted  by  the  pursuit  of  tastes  which 
result  in  making  a  little  world  of  the  family  home,  where  truthfulness,  beauty, 
and  order  have  tlie  largest  dominion. 

The  mere  sentiment  of  home,  with  its  thousand  associations,  has,  like  a 
strong  anchor,  saved  many  a  man  from  shipwreck  in  the  storms  of  life.  How 
much  the  moral  influence  of  that  sentiment  may  be  increased,  by  making  the 
home  all  that  it  should  be,  and  how  much  an  attachment  is  strengthened  by  every 
external  sign  of  beauty  that  awakens  love  in  the  young,  are  so  well  understood, 
that  they  need  no  demonstration  here.  All  to  which  the  heart  can  attach  itself 
in  youth,  and  the  memory  linger  fondly  over  in  riper  years,  contributes  largely 
to  our  stock  of  happiness,  and  to  the  elevation  of  the  moral  character.  For 
this  reason,  the  condition  of  the  family  home — in  this  country  where  every  man 
may  have  a  home — should  be  raised,  till  it  shall  symbolize  the  best  character 
and  pursuits,  and  the  dearest  affections  and  enjoyments  of  social  life. 

After  tlic  volumes  I  have  previously  written  on  this  subject,  it  is  needless  for 
me  to  add  more  on  the  purpose  of  this  work.  But  it  is,  perhaps,  proper  that  I 
should  say,  that  it  is  rather  intended  to  develop  the  growing  taste  of  the  people, 
than  as  a  scientific  work  on  art.  Rural  Architecture  is,  indeed,  so  much  more 
a  sentiment,  and  so  much  less  a  science,  than  Civil  Architecture,  that  the  ma- 
jority of  persons  will  always  build  for  tiiemselves,  and,  unconsciously,  throw 
something  of  their  own  character  into  their  dwellings.  To  do  this  well  and 
gracefully,  and  not  awkwardly  and  clumsily,  is  always  found  more  difficult  than 
is  supposed.  I  have,  tiierefore,  written  this  volume,  in  the  hope  that  it  may  be 
of  some  little  assistance  to  the  popular  taste.  For  the  same  reason,  1  have 
endeavored  to  explain  the  whole  subject  in  so  familiar  a  manner,  as  to  interest 
all  classes  of  readers  who  can  find  any  tiling  interesting  in  tlio  beauty,  conven- 
ience, or  fitness  of  a  house  in  the  country.  A.  J.  D. 

Newhurgh,  on  the  Hudson. 
June,  1850. 


CONTENTS. 


PART  I. 

SECTION  I. 

ON  THE  REAI,  MEANING  OF  AECHITECniRE. 

PAOE 

Inqtuet  regarding  the  philosophy  of  the  Art. — The  Useful  in  Architecture. — 
Arrangement  of  Plan,  Convenience,  and  the  Priaciples  of  Building. — The 
Beautiful  in  Architecture. — Absolute  Beauty. — Proportion,  Symmetry,  Va- 
riety, Harmony,  Unity,  etc. — Relative  Beauty. — Expression  of  personal 
character,  Expression  of  Architectural  style,  Pictiu-esqueness,  etc. — The 
True  in  Architecture. — General  truth.  Local  truth.  Specific  truth,  Truthful- 
ness of  Materials,  etc 1 

SECTION  II. 

WHAT  A  COTTAGE  SHOULD  BE. 

Definition  of  the  term  Cottage. — Its  nature  and  size  in  the  United  States. — 
Examples  of  false  taste  in  design. — The  temple  Cottage,  etc. — Value  of 
simplicity  in  dwellings  of  this  class. — Principles  to  be  observed  in  designing 
cottages. — Accessories  demanded  by  rural  cottages 39 

SECTION  III. 

MATERIALS  AND  MODES  OF  CONSTETICTION. 

Materials  in  common  use. — Superiority  of  solid  materials. — Wood. — Vertical 
boarding  explained. — Filling-in. — Cottages  of  unbumt  brick. — Brick. — HoUow 
walls,  Modes  of  constructing. — Stucco  or  cement. — Rough-cast. — Stone. — 
Mode  of  preventing  dampness- in  other  walls 49 

SECTION  IV. 

DESIGNS  FOB  COTTAGES. 

Fundamental  points  in  designing  cottages  for  this  country. — Estimates — ^Will 
not  apply  to  various  parts  of  the  country. — Basis  on  which  they  are  made  — 


viii  CONTENTS. 

Design  I.  A  small  Cottage  for  a  working-man. — Design  II.  A  email 
Bracketed  Cottage. — Design  III.  Symmetrical  Bracketed  Cottage. — Design 
IV.  Small  Gotl»ic  Cottage. — Design  V.  Working-man's  model  Cottage. — 
Design  V.  Gate  Lodge  in  the  English  style. — Design  VI.  Symmetrical 
Cottage. — Design  VII.  Subm-ban  Cottage  in  the  Italiim  style. — Design 
VIII.  Regular  Bracketed  Cottage. — Design  IX.  Symmetrical  Bracketed 
Cottage,  -with  Veranda. — Design  X.  Swiss  Cottage. — Design  XL  Square 
Suburban  Cottage. — Design  XII.     Small  Tuscan  Cottage 10 

SECTION   V. 

WHAT  A  FAKM-HOUSE  SHOULD  BE. 

Importance  of  the  agriculturist  in  America. — Neglect  of  Farm-houses  by  most 
architects  abroad. — Reasons  why  they  should  receive  attention  in  America.— 
The  real  elements  of  beauty  in  a  farm-house  considered. — How  to  make  it 
truthful  and  significant. — Should  aim  mainly  at  expressing  the  life  of  the 
farmer. — Principles  for  designing  farm-houses,  as  regards  utility  and  beauty.  135 

SECTION  VI. 

DESIGNS    FOB    FARM-HOUSES. 

Controlling  circumstances  in  the  production  of  the  designs  given, — Great  value 
of  simplicity  and  breadth  in  all  farm-houses. — Execution  of  the  designs. — 
Design  XIII.  Symmetrical  Farm-house  of  stone  and  rough-cast.  Design 
XIV.  Farm-house  in  the  Swiss  manner. — Design  XV.  Bracketed  Farm- 
house, of  wood. — Design  XVI.  Farm-house  in  the  English  Rural  Style. — 
Design  XVII.  American  Bracketed  Farm-house. — Design  XVIII.  Northern 
Farm-house. — Design  XIX.     Villa  Farm-house 143 

SECTION    VII. 

MISCELLANEOUS  DETAILS. 

Construction  of  Cliimncys  and  Fireplaces. — Faulty  construction  of  Cliimneys. 
-Ignorance  of  the  jirinciples  of  building  Cliimneys. — Practical  details  for 
builditig  flues  to  draw  well. — Dimensions  of  Chinuiey  flues. — Circular  flues. — 
Ornamonliiig  tlic  roofs  of  houses. — Patterns  for  decorative  shinirles. — Mortar 
Floors. — To  .'itiiiii  Wood-work  or  Wainscot. — Cheap  Varnish. — Staining  out- 
eido  wood-work. — Cheap  wash  for  wooden  cottages. — Cheap  wash  for  brick, 


CONTENTS.  IX 

PAOI 

stone,  or  stuccoed  houses. — Durable  oil  pamt. — Cement  for  stopping  joints. — 
Gutters  at  the  eaves. — Ventilating  the  attics  of  cottages. — Emerson's  Venti- 
lator.— Economy  in  Practical  buUding  — Hints  for  painting  or  coloring  the  ex- 
terior of  Country  Houses. — Vines  and  climbers  for  iSie  decoration  of  cottages.  1*74 

SECTION  VIII. 

HINTS  FOB  COTTAGE  AND  FAEM  STABLES. 

Plans  for  small  stables. — ^ilodel  cottage  stable. — Stalls  and  racks. — Fai-m  bams 
and  outbuildings. — Model  basement  bam  of  Mr.  Sayer. — Plan  of  a  Farmery. — 
Professor  Turner  on  Farm  Stables  for  the  West. — Plans  of  Western  stables. — 
Details  of  arrangement. — Shed  for  feeding  stock. — The  hen-house. — Com-crib. 
— Cheap  steaming  apparatus. — Profitable  management  of  swine  in  the  "West.  .  213 

PART  II. 

SECTION    IX. 

■WHAT  A  COTTNTEY  HOUSE  OE  VILLA  SHOCLD  BE. 

The  definition  of  a  viUa  m  this  country. — The  happy  influences  that  surround  it. 
— In  what  its  true  beauty  and  interest  consist. — The  kind  of  country  houses 
suited  to  persons  of  different  tastes  and  character. — The  man  of  common 
sense. — The  man  of  sentiment. — The  man  of  imagination. — The  antiquarian 
and  the  adopted  citizen. — The  villa  considered  with  reference  to  our  institu- 
tions, fortunes,  and  manners. — Associations  of  the  hereditary  home  abroad. — 
The  true  meaning  of  the  repubhcan  home 257 

SECTION  X. 

DESIGNS  FOE  VILLAS  OR  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

Points  to  be  first  considered. — Locality,  site,  and  arrangement. — Where  the 
kitchen  should  be. — Height  of  stories. — Drainage. — Internal  finish. — Style  of 
the  exterior,  etc. — Design  XX.  Small  Bracketed  Country  House. — Design 
XXL  ViUa  in  the  Norman  style. — Design  XXII.  Villa  in  the  ItaUan  style. 
—Design  XXIII.  Small  Classical  N\S!i3,.— Design  XXIV.  Cottage  Villa  in 
the  Rural  Gothic  style. — Design  XXV.  Plain  Timber  Cottage  Villa. — 
Design  XXVI.  Country  House  in  the  pointed  style. — Design  XXVII. 
Small  Country  House  for  the  Southern  States. — Design  XXVIII.  VUla  in 
the  Italian  style. — Design  XXIX.  Villa  in  the  Rural  Gothic  style. — 
Design  XXX.  American  Country  House  of  the  First  Class. — Design 
XXXI.  Vnia  in  the  pointed  style. — Design  XXXII.  Picturesque  Lake  or 
River  ViUa. — Design  XXXIII.    Southern  Villa  in  the  Romanesque  style.   .  271 


X  ,  CONTENTS. 

SECTION  XI. 

INTERIOK  FINISHING  OF  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

PAOK 

Expression  of  style  in  the  interior  of  dwellings. — Fitness  and  Truthfulness  more 
called  for  than  elaborate  decoration,  in  most  country  houses. — Manner  of 
finishing  cottage  interiors. — Treatment  of  wainscot  or  wood-work. — Treat- 
ment of  walls. — Whitewashing. — Papering. — Simple  cornices. — Ornaments 
in  cottages. — Carpets  and  floors. — Window  curtains. — Roller-blinds. — Villa 
interiors. — Value  of  luiity  of  style. — Difference  between  Architectural  style 
and  Fashion. — Tone. — Principles  of  decoration. — The  Grecian  style. — Tlie 
Italian  style. — The  Gotliic  style. — The  Romanesque  or  Norman  style. — The 
Elizabethan  or  Renaissance  style. — The  Bracketed  style. — Details  in  general. 
— Proportions  of  rooms. — Chimney  pieces. — "White  walls. — Paper  hangings. 
— Painting  in  distemper. — Painting  in  oil. — Tone  of  coloring  best  adapted  to 
the  different  apartments .        .  364 

SECTION    XII. 

FUBNirUEE. 

Expression  in  interiors  largely  depends  upon  furniture. — How  meager  interiors 
may  be  rendered  agreeable  by  its  judicious  introduction. — Definition  of 
simply  tasteful  furniture ;  of  furniture  in  correct  taste ;  furniture  in  good 
keeping. — Bad  effect  resulting  from  the  adoption  of  city  furniture  in  country 
houses. — Extravagance  of  modern  fashion  in  interior  decoration. — Vulgarity 
of  display  in  private  houses. — Furniture  in  the  Grecian  or  modem  style. — 
Modern  French  furniture  in  the  Gothic  style. — Furniture  in  tlie  Elizabethan 
and  Romanesque  styles. 406 

SECTION  XIII. 

WAKMINO    AND    VENTILATING. 

General  ignorance  on  the  subject  of  ventilation. — The  process  of  respiration. — 
Use  of  au'  in  purifying  the  blood. — Composition  of  the  atmosphere. — Bad  air 
in  ordinary  rooms. — Simplest  modes  of  ventilation. — Tlie  open  chimney. — 
Arnott's  Chimney- Valve. — Its  sanitary  cffect.s. — ^ro^'isions  for  the  supply  of 
fresh  air. — Warm-air  chamber. — Close  stoves  unwholesome. — Clarke's  Venti- 
lating Stove. — Tlie  stove  grate. — Emerson's  Ventilators. — Heating  by  hot- 
air  furnaces. — Chilson's  furnace. — Heating  by  hot  water. — ^The  most  complete 
mode  of  warming  and  ventilating. — Architectural  effect  of  the  Ejector. — 
Importance  of  ventilation 461 


PART   I. 

COTTAGES  AND  FARM-HOUSES. 


COUNTEY  HOUSES. 


SECTION  I. 
ON   THE    REAL  MEANING  OF  ARCHITECTURE. 

Certainly  the  national  taste  is  not  a  matter  of  little  moment. 
Whether  another  planet  shall  be  discovered  beyond  Le  Vemer's 
may  or  may  not  affect  the  happiness  of  a  whole  countiy ;  but 
whether  a  young  and  progressive  people  shall  develop  ideas 
of  beauty,  harmony,  and  moral  significance  in  their  daily  lives  ; 
whether  the  arts  shall  be  so  understood  and  cultivated  as  to 
.  elevate  and  dignify  the  character ;  whether  the  country  homes 
of  a  whole  people  shall  embody  such  ideas  of  beauty  and  tmth 
as  shall  elevate  and  purify  its  feelings ; — these  are  questions  of 
no  mean  or  trifling  importance. 

Now,  the  real  progress  which  a  people  makes  in  any  of  the 
fine  arts,  must  depend  on  the  public  sensibility  and  the  public 
taste.  Sensibility  to  beauty  must  exist,  and  there  must  be  some 
means  afforded  of  developing  and  cultivating  the  taste;  for, 
however  instinctive  and  natural  a  gift  the  fonner  may  be,  a 
correct  taste  is  only  the  result  of  education :  the  feeling  must 
be  guided  by  the  judgment. 

While  a  general  ignorance  on  the  subject  of  architecture 
among  us,  must  be  admitted,  we  must  also  avow  that  the  live- 

1 


1^,  C    State   CoUe^e 


2  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

liest  interest  in  it  is  now  strongly  felt  on  all  sides.  And  this 
very  ignorance  is  mainly  owing  to  the  dry  and  baiTcn  manner 
in  which  architects  have  usnally  written  on  tlie  real  meaning  or 
philosophy  of  their  art.  It  would  seem  that  men  who  work  out 
beautiful  thoughts  in  ponderous  stone,  seldom  wield  so  slight  an 
implement  as  a  pen  with  grace  and  power.  Why  else  shoidd 
nine-tenths  of  even  the  educated,  believe  that  the  whole  circle 
of  architecture  is  comprised  in  the  five  Ordei-s ;  or,  at  most, 
that  a  Greek  temple  and  a  Gothic  cathedral  are  the  Alpha  and 
Omega  of  the  art  ?  Why  shoidd  so  many  of  the  most  intelligent 
pei*sons  imagine,  that  Domestic  Architectm-e  is  only  perfect 
when  it  is  similar  to  that  of  public  edifices ;  or,  at  least,  when 
it  borrows  all  its  ornaments  from  such  stnictures  ? 

It  is  not  an  easy  task  to  lay  bare  the  principles  of  an  art,  com- 
pounded thus  of  the  Useful  and  the  Beautifid ;  to  show  how  and 
why  it  appeals  so  powerfully  to  the  whole  nature  of  man — to  his 
senses,  his  heart,  and  his  understanding. 

But  it  is,  perhaps,  this  very  compound  natm'e  of  Architecture, 
this  appeal  which  it  makes  to  the  sensation,  the  sentiment,  and 
the  Imowledge  of  man,  which  has  left  it  in  so  unsatisfactory  a 
shape  to  the  popular  apprehension ;  wliich  has  caused  it  to  be 
looked  upon  by  some  as  the  mere  pro\T[nce  of  the  builder ;  by 
others,  as  the  object  of  enthusiastic  admiration,  and  by  the  rest 
as  a  subject  of  scientific  investigation ;  until  half  the  world  ima- 
gines the  beauty  of  an  edifice,  like  genius,  to  be  a  happy  acci- 
dent, to  be  enjoyed  when  found,  but  as  difficult  to  seize  as  the 
rainbow  itself. 

It  would  be  a  boon  to  the  age,  if  some  gifted  artist  woidd 
show  tlie  world  the  secret  sources  of  the  influence  which  Archi- 
tectm'e  wields  in  all  civilized  nations.    Tliis  is  as  far  beyond 


THE  KEAL  MEANING  OF  ARCHITECTUKE.  6 

our  province  as  oiu'  ability.  Still,  we  must  be  indulged  in  a  brief 
analysis  of  the  elements  of  interest  whicb  Architectiu'e  possesses 
for  the  human  mind,  and  a  glance  at  the  partially  concealed 
som-ces  of  that  power  which  it  exerts  over  om*  hearts  and  un- 
derstandings. 

Something  of  this  kind  seems  to  us  to  be  Remanded  by  the 
mquiring  mind  and  the  expanding  taste  of  om*  people;  and 
Domestic  Architectm'e  itself,  which,  amid  the  louder  claims  of 
civil  and  ecclesiastical  art,  has  been  too  much  neglected,  seems 
to  demand  a  higher  consideration  in  a  country  where  the  ease 
of  obtaining  a  house  and  land,  and  the  ability  of  almost  every 
industrious  citizen  to  build  his  own  house,  constitute  a  distinc- 
tive featm-e  of  national  prosperity. 

THE  USEFUL  EST  AKCHITECTURE. 

The  senses  make  the  fu-st  demand  in  almost  every  path  in 
human  hfe.  The  necessity  of  shelter  from  the  cold  and  heat, 
fi'om  sun  and  shower,  leads  man  at  fii-st  to  hidld  a  habitation. 

What  this  habitation  shall  be,  depends  partly  on  the  habits  of 
the  man,  partly  on  the  climate  in  which  he  lives.  If  he  is  a 
shej)herd  and  leads  a  w^andering  life,  he  pitches  a  tent.  If  he  is 
a  hunter,  he  builds  a  i-ude  hut  of  logs  or  skins.  K  he  is  a  tiller 
of  the  soil,  he  constructs  a  dwelling  of  timber  or  stones,  or 
lodges  in  the  caverns  of  the  rocky  hill-sides. 

As  a  mere  animal,  man's  fii-st  necessity  is  to  j)rovide  shelter ; 
and,  as  he  is  not  governed  by  the  constructive  instinct  of  other 
animals,  the  clumsiest  form  which  secm-es  him  against  the  in- 
clemency of  the  seasons,  often  appears  sufficient :  there  is 
scarcely  any  design    apparent  in  its    aiTangement,   and    the 


4  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

smallest  amount  of  convenience  is  found  in  its  interior.  This 
is  the  first,  primitive,  or  savage  idea  of  building.  Let  us  look 
a  step  higher  in  the  scale  of  improvement. 

On  the  eastern  borders  of  Em'ope  is  a  tribe  or  nation  of  the 
Sclavonic  people,  called  the  Croats,  who  may  be  said  to  be  only 
upon  the  verge  of  civilization.  They  lead  a  rude,  forest,  and 
agricultui-al  life.  They  know  nothing  of  the  refinements  of  the 
rest  of  Europe.  They  live  in  coarse,  yet  strong  and  warm 
houses.  But  theii'  apartments  are  as  rude  as  their  mannei-s, 
and  their  cattle  frequently  share  the  same  rooms  with  them- 
selves. 

Our  third  example  may  be  found  in  any  portion  of  the  United 
States.  It  is  nothing  less  common  than  a  plain,  rectangular 
house,  built  of  timber  from  the  forest  saw-miU,  with  a  roof  to 
cover  it,  windows  to  light  it,  and  doors  to  enter  it.  The  heat 
is  kept  out  by  shutters,  and  the  cold  by  fires  burnt  in  chimneys. 
It  is  well  and  strongly  built ;  it  affords  perfect  protection  to  the 
physical  nature  of  man ;  and  it  serves,  so  far  as  a  house  can 
serve,  all  the  most  imperative  wants  of  the  body.  It  is  a 
warm,  comfortable,  convenient  dwelling. 

It  is  easy  to  see  that  in  all  these  grades  of  man's  life,  and  the 
dwellings  which  t^-pify  them,  only  one  idea  has  as  yet  mani- 
fested itself  in  his  architectm-e — viz.  that  of  utility.  In  the 
savage,  the  half  civilized,  and  the  civilized  states,  the  idea  of 
the  useful  and  the  convenient  differ,  but  only  in  degree.  It  is 
still  what  will  best  serve  the  body — what  will  best  shelter, 
lodge,  feed,  and  M-arm  us — which  demands  the  whole  attention 
of  the  mere  builder  of  houses. 

It  would  be  as  false  to  call  only  this,  Architecture,  as  to  call 
the  gamut  music,  or  to  consider  rhymes  poetiy,  and  yet  it  is 


THE  EEAL  MEANING  OF  AKCHITECTUBE.  5 

the  framework  or  skeleton  on  which  Architecture  grows  and 
wakens  into  life ;  without  which,  indeed,  it  can  no  more  rise  to 
the  dignity  of  a  fine  art,  than  perfect  language  can  exist  without 
sounds. 

There  are  also  certain  principles  which  belong  to  huilding 
(as  this  useful  part  of  Architectm'e  is  properly  called),  which  are 
of  the  utmost  importance,  since  they  may  not  be  in  the  slightest 
degree  violated  without  proving  more  or  less  destructive  to  the 
enjoyment  of  the  finest  work. 

Many  of  these  are  mechanical  principles  involved  in  m  ason- 
ry,  in  carpentry,  and  other  kinds  of  artisanship,  which  are  suf- 
ficiently familiar  in  their  nature  to  the  general  reader,  and  are 
subjects  of  technical  expertness  on  the  part  of  those  employed 
in  building. 

But  there  are  also  other  principles  besides  these,  which 
govern  the  workmen  in  their  labors,  and  which  must  always 
control  even  him  who  only  aims  at  the  useful  in  Ai'chitecture. 

The  fii'st  and  most  obvious  of  these  rules  of  utility  is,  that 
the  cost  of  the  building  shall  not  exceed  the  means  of  the  owner 
or  occupant.  Out  of  a  want  of  practical  knowledge  in  the  build- 
er grow,  not  unfrequently,  mistakes  that  are  fatal  to  the  use  of 
a  house,  since,  if  too  much  is  expended  in  the  whole  structm-e, 
the  owner  may  be  forced  to  sell  it  to  another,  rather  than  enjoy 
it  himself:  if  too  much  is  expended  on  a  part,  the  economy 
necessary  in  the  remainder,  may  render  parts  of  the  house 
uncomfortable  from  defects  in  their  construction. 

The  second  nde  governs  the  quality  of  the  materials  and 
workmanship  employed  in  the  constiniction.  That  the  mate- 
rials should  be  of  the  soundest  and  best  quality  in  the  best 
edifices,  and  of  ample  strength  and  durability  for  the  end  in 


b  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

view,  even  in  those  of  the  humblest  class,  is  a  rale  which  may 
never  be  for  a  moment  violated  by  the  builder,  without  injmy 
to  the  structm-e.  Nature  here,  as  always,  must  be  constantly 
respected,  or  she  pusiishes  severely  all  infringements  of  her 
laws.  A  wall  that  is  not  pei'pendicular,  a  foundation  that  is 
not  firm,  a  roof  that  is  not  tight,  a  chimney  that  smokes, 
sooner  or  later,  but  inevitably,  shows  the  builder's  want  of 
comprehension  or  respect  for  the  laws  of  gi'avitation  or  the 
atmosphere,  and  impairs  or  destroys  the  nsefolness  of  all  archi- 
tecture. 

The  last  and  highest  rule  of  utility  is  that  which  involvea 
convenience.  In  all  architectm-e,  adaptation  to  the  end  in 
view  is  important;  in  domestic  architecture  it  is  a  princij)le 
which,  in  its  influence  on  our  daily  lives,  om*  physical  comfort 
and  enjoyment,  is  paramomit  and  imperative.  Hence,  however 
full  of  ornament  or  luxury  a  house  may  be,  if  its  apartments 
do  not  afford  that  convenience,  comfort,  and  adaptation  to 
hmuan  wants,  which  the  habits  of  those  who  ai'e  to  live  in  it 
demand,  it  must  always  fail  to  satisfy  us,  or  to  merit  the 
approval  of  the  most  matter-of-fact  critic.  Such  a  house  may 
be  compared  to  a  column  with  well-moulded  shaft  and  richly 
decorated  capital,  but  composed  of  such  flimsy  material  that 
it  will  bear  no  weight;  or,  to  a  person  whose  education  has 
been  that  of  accomplishments,  with  a  total  neglect  of  solid 
acquirements. 

This  practical  part  of  architectm-e  involves,  more  particu- 
larly, what  is  called  the  plan  of  a  building — providing  apai-t- 
ments  for  the  various  wants  of  domestic  and  social  life; 
adapting  the  size  of  such  apartments  to  their  respective 
uses,    and    all    other   points   which    the    progress    of   modem 


THE  REAL  MEAXCS'G  OF  AECHITECTUEE.  7 

civilization  has  made  necessary  to  our  comfort  and  enjoyment 
witMn-doors. 

Tlie  illiisti-ation  of  these  points  will  be  found,  to  a  consid- 
erable extent,  in  the  ti-eatment  of  the  various  designs  which 
foUow,  It  may  be  remarked,  however,  that  no  absolute  rules 
for  guidance  can  be  laid  down  here.  Domestic  life  varies 
not  only  in  different  coimti-ies,  but  even  in  different  portions 
of  a  tenitory  so  broad  as  that  of  the  United  States.  Even 
different  families  have  somewhat  various  habits,  and  therefore 
require  different  accommodations.  The  ingenuity  and  talents 
of  the  architect  must  therefore  be  put  in  full  activity,  even 
to  meet  the  requirements  of  this  humblest  platform  of  his 
art.  And  we  may  add,  that  it  is  a  proof  of  weakness  rather 
than  sti'ength,  to  treat  with  the  slightest  neglect,  this,  its 
whoUy  utihtarian  side.  To  the  majority  of  mankind  the 
useful  is  the  largest  satisfaction  derived  from  architecture; 
and  while  an  able  architect  will  always  treat  the  materials 
placed  in  his  hands  for  a  new  design,  so  as  to  give  something 
of  the  expression  of  beauty  even  to  the  simplest  forms,  he 
must  never  imagine  that  in  his  art  he  can  largely  neglect  the 
useful  for  the  beautiful.  As  in  the  Apollo  every  muscle  must 
be  found  which  enters  mto  the  body  of  the  hardiest  day- 
laborer,  so  in  all  perfect  architectm-e  no  principle  of  utility 
will  be  found  sacrificed  to  beauty,  but  only  elevated  and 
ennobled  by  it. 


COUNTRY  HOUSES. 


TUE  BEAUTIFUL  IN  AECUITECTIIRE. 


"We  have  shown  as  yet,  only  the  Useful  in  architectui-e.  At 
least,  we  have  endeavored  to  show  how  an  edifice  may  combine 
fitness  in  all  respects,  how  it  may  be  strong,  well  built,  warm, 
comfortable,  and  convenient,  and  no  more.  To  attain  this 
there  is  no  need  of  its  displaying  any  appreciable  grace,  har- 
mony, or  beauty ;  nay,  it  may  be  even  faulty  in  its  proportions, 
and  unpleasing  in  efiect.  Such  examples  are,  in  fact,  eveiy 
day  before  us — buildings  which  completely  answer  the  useful 
requirements  of  man,  and  yet  give  not  a  ray  of  pleasure  or 
satisfaction  to  his  heart  or  understanding.  And  yet  there  are 
persons  who,  because  the  Useful  and  the  Beautiful,  in  some 
arts,  may  be  most  intimately  combined,  imagine  that  they  are 
identical.  This  is  the  grossest  eiTor,  of  which,  if  the  common- 
place buildings  we  have  just  quoted  are  not  a  sufficient 
refutation,  abundant  others  may  be  drawn  every  day  from  the 
works  of  nature  or  art. 

A  head  of  grain,  one  of  the  most  useful  of  vegetable  forms, 
is  not  so  beautiful  as  a  rose ;  an  ass,  one  of  the  most  useful  of 
animals,  is  not  so  beautiful  as  a  gazelle ;  a  cotton-mill,  one  of 
the  most  useful  of  modem  structures,  is  not  so  beautiful  as  the 
temple  of  Vesta;  yet  no  one  thinks  of  comparing  them  for 
utility. 

The  trutli  then  is  undeniable,  that  the  Beautiful  is,  intrin- 
sically, something  quite  distinct  from  the  Useful.  It  appeals  to 
a  wholly  different  part  of  our  natm*e ;  it  requires  another 
portion  of  our  ])cing  to  receive  and  enjoy  it. 

There  are  many,  to  whose  undeveloped  natui'es  the  Useful  is 


THE  KEAL  aiEANLS'G  OF  ABOHITECTURE.  9 

sufficient;  but  there  are,  also,  not  a  few  who  yearn,  with  an 
instinct  as  sti-ong  as  for  life  itself,  for  the  manifestation  of  a 
higher  attribute  of  matter — the  Beautiful. 

"We  have  said  that  the  Useful  in  architecture  is  based  wholly 
on  the  physical  wants  of  man;  that  it  is  a  response  to  the 
demand  of  om*  senses. 

We  may  also  add  that  the  Beautiful  is  an  original  instinct  of 
the  sentiment  of  om-  nature.  It  is  a  worship,  by  the  heart,  of  a 
higher  perfection  manifested  in  material  forms. 

To  see,  or  rather  to  feel  how,  in  natm'e,  matter  is  ennobled  by 
being  thus  touched  by  a  single  thought  of  beauty,  how  it  is 
almost  deified  by  being  made  to  shadow  forth,  even  dimly,  His 
atti-ibutes,  constitutes  the  profound  and  thrilling  satisfaction 
which  we  experience  in  contemplating  the  external  works  of 
God.  To  be  keenly  sensible  of  the  power  of  even  the  imperfect 
reproduction  of  such  ideas  in  the  various  fine  arts — poetry, 
music,  painting,  sculpture,  architecture,  etc. — is  to  acknowledge 
the  power  of  beauty  over  om'  feelings  in  another  and  a  more 
personal  form. 

To  desire  to  sm-round  om'selves  with  such  som-ces  of  enjoy- 
ment, rather  than  to  be  content  with  mere  utility,  is  only  to 
acknowledge  the  existence  of  a  sentiment  which,  next  to  the 
religious  one,  is  the  purest  and  noblest  part  of  our  nature. 

Looking  at  the  subject  before  us,  it  must  be  admitted,  that  if 
it  is  a  step  forward  in  civilization  to  separate  om'selves  fi'om  our 
cattle,  rather  than  share  our  apartments  with  them,  like  the 
Croats,  it  is  a  much  higher  step  to  evince,  by  the  beauty  of  our 
architecture,  that  om-  hearts  are  alive  to  some  of  the  highest 
emotions  of  which  they  are  capable. 

What  is  beauty  in  architecture?     In  order  to  rid  om-selves 


10  COUNTKY  HOUSES. 

of  the  vague  and  indefinite  meaning  which  hangs  about  this 
part  of  our  subject,  like  a  thick  mist,  in  the  minds  of  most 
persons,  let  us  examine  it  somewhat  closely. 

All  beauty  in  architecture  seems  to  us  to  resolve  itself  into 
two  kinds — Absolute  and  Relative. 

Absolute  beauty  lies  in  the  expression,  in  material  forms,  of 
those  ideas  of  perfection  which  are  universal  in  their  applica- 
tion. We  find  them  in  nature  as  well  as  in  art.  "We  find  them 
in  the  figures  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  in  the  orbits  of  planets,  in 
drops  of  water,  in  animal  fonns,  in  the  gi'owth  of  trees,  in 
the  stinictures  of  cr^-stals.  This  proves  not  only  that  they 
ai*e  divine  in  their  origin,  but  that  they  j)ervade  all  time  and 
space.  These  typical  ideas  of  beauty  are  pkopoktion,  sym- 
metry, YAKiETY,  HAKMONY,  and  UNITY.  Tlicy  may  be  called 
abstract  ideas  of  beauty  of  form,  and  apply  to  all  the  arts,  as 
well  as  to  every  thing  in  nature — to  a  s^miphony  of  Beethoven 
or  a  statue  by  Powers,  as  well  as  to  the  sublime  c\\r\e  of  Nia- 
gara or  the  varied  outlines  of  the  Alps. 

In  order  that  the  uninitiated  reader  may  be  able  to  analyze 
and  understand  these  universal  ideas  of  Beauty,  let  us  look  at 
them,  architecturally,  a  little  in  detail. 

A  fundamental  idea  of  the  Beautiful  in  architectm-e  is  Pro- 
portion. 

Proportion,  in  material  objects,  is  the  relation  of  individual 
parts  to  the  whole.  Mr.  Kuskin  has  cleverly  defined  it  to  be 
"  the  sensible  relation  of  quantities."  In  aU  the  arts,  it  is  the 
realization  of  the  most  perfect  idea  of  the  height,  breadth, 
outline,  and  form  of  the  object  aimed  at,  and  therefore  involves 
the  highest  single  feeling  of  pure  material  beauty. 

In  architectui-e,  proportion  is  shown  fii-st  in  the  composition 


THE  EEAL  MEANING  OF  AKCHITECTnjEE.  11 

of  the  outline  or  mass  of  the  entu-e  building.  K  endowed  with 
this  quality,  it  will  neither  be  too  long  nor  too  broad,  too  low 
nor  too  high.  It  will  exhibit  to  the  eye,  at  a  glance,  that  nice 
relation  of  all  the  parts  to  each  other  and  to  the  whole,  which 
gives  to  that  whole  the  stamp  of  the  best,  most  suitable,  and 
perfect  form. 

Proportion  may  be  shown  in  the  smallest  building  as  well  as 
in  the  largest;  in  a  cottage  of  twenty  feet  as  well  as  in  St. 
Peter's  of  ten  acres.  In  the  former,  however,  it  is  much  more 
simple,  as  it  involves  only  the  height  and  breadth  of  a  few 
parts :  in  the  latter,  it  is  evolved  by  the  skilful  grouping  of 
many  parts.  Hence,  in  large  piles  of  buildings,  the  central 
mass  is  raised  up  in  a  dome-Kke  or  pyramidal  form,  not  only  for 
the  sake  of  making  a  whole,  but  also  to  give  that  proportion  of 
the  whole  which  great  extent  and  the  multiplication  of  parts 
render  necessary.  But  propoiiion  does  not  merely  govern  the 
form  of  .the  whole  mass  in  architectm'e ;  it  descends  into  the 
smallest  details.  It  demands  that  the  height  of  a  room,  of  a 
window,  or  a  door,  should  accord  with  its  breadth  and  length. 
The  minutest  object,  the  smallest  details,  are  equally  capable  of 
expressing  it.  It  applies  as  well  to  the  form  of  a  cornice,  a 
moulding,  or  an  ornament,  as  to  the  whole  outline  of  the  edifice 
itself. 

Proportion,  in  architecture,  has  been  aptly  likened,  by  a 
German  wiiter,  to  time  in  music — that  measure  which  confers 
a  completeness  of  fonn  on  the  entire  melody ;  and  though  the 
parallel  cannot  be  earned  so  closely  as  to  enable  us  sti-ictly  to 
agree  with  Madame  de  Stael,  who  called  architectm'e  "fi-ozen 
music,"  the  illustration  is  scarcely  less  forcible. 

That  proportion  is  one  of  those   qualities   of  beauty  most 


12  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

universally  felt,  it  does  not  require  any  argument  of  oui-s  to 
prove.  The  immediate  delight  which  all  persons  experience 
in  a  weU-propoi*tioned  human  figm*e,  a  statue,  or  a  Grecian 
column,  is  well  known.  Tliat  this  is  quite  independent  of  edu- 
cation, that  it  only  requii'es  sensibility  to  beauty,  is  equally 
tnie.  Hence  the  want  of  proportion  in  a  building  is  felt  as  a 
great  and  ii-remediable  defect,  at  the  first  glance,  by  many  who 
are  totally  ignorant  of  architecture  as  an  art;  and  hence,  if 
absent,  it  is  a  fundamental  want,  for  which  no  decoration,  no 
style,  no  beauty  of  parts,  however  excellent  in  themselves,  can 
ever  wholly  compensate. 

One  would  suppose  that  some  definite  rules  would  have  been 
deduced  for  the  production  of  so  fundamental  a  quality  as  this, 
in  architectm'e.*  But  no  such  rules  exist  at  the  present  day, 
and  its  production  seems  to  depend  mainly  on  the  genius  of  the 
artist.  That  education  and  study  of  the  best  examples  will  aid 
in  the  appreciation  of  it,  is  imdoubtedly  true ;  but  the  many 
bhmders  in  proportion,  which  the  works  of  modern  artists  ex- 
hibit, prove  that  it  is  one  of  the  qualities  of  beauty  less  vividly 
felt,  and  less  easily  produced,  than  any  other,  at  the  present  time. 

Symmetry  is  that  quality  of  beauty  in  material  objects  which 
may  be  defined,  that  balance  of  ojyposite  jparU  necessary  to 
foiTTi  an  agreeable  whole.  Thus,  in  the  human  figure,  it  is  the 
joining  of  the  opposite  sides,  each  with  its  separate  limbs,  which 
makes  the  whole  symmetrical :  if  an  ann  is  wanting,  the  sym- 
metry is  destroyed.    In  trees,  it  is  seen  in  the  balance  of  the  op- 

*  Mr.  Hay,  of  Edinburgli,  in  his  ingenious  treatise  on  Beauty  of  Form,  has 
endeavored  to  prove  that  the  Greeks,  whose  architecture  certainly  displays  the 
most  perfect  proportions,  were  possessed  of  a  system  of  rules  which  enabled 
iliem  imiformly  to  produce  it. 


THE  EEAL  MEANING  OF  AKCHITECTUEE.  13 

posite  sides  of  their  heads :  if  a  large  limb  is  cut  away,  the 
balance  is  lost.  In  architecture,  it  is  the  arrangement  on  each 
side  of  a  centre,  of  two  parts  that  balance  each  other,  and  that 
do  not  make  a  whole  without  this  centre.  Hence  the  superior 
effect  of  a  building  which  is  a  plain  cube  with  a  wing  on  each 
side,  over  a  cube  without  wings.  The  wings  raise  the  character 
of  the  form  from  uniformity  to  symmetry. 

This  leads  us  to  remark  here,  that  regularity  and  uniformity, 
two  qualities  common  in  architecture,  are  often  classed  as  dis- 
tinct elements  of  beauty  in  themselves.  They  may  be  such,  in 
an  artistical  point  of  view,  as  denoting  the  presence  of  art,  but 
they  are,  in  fact,  only  primary  steps  towards  symmetry,  which 
comprehends  them  both.  A  regulm'  building  in  architecture  is 
one  in  which  a  given  form  is  repeated  at  regular  distances,  such 
as  a  square  house  in  which  the  same  windows  and  doors  are 
repeated  at  regular  intervals,  or  a  long  row  of  houses  in  a 
street,  in  which  the  same  general  forms  are  regularly  repeated. 

A  y/rhiform  building  is  one  in  which  the  same  forms  are 
repeated  on  all  sides ;  as  a  cubical  house  with  the  same  windows 
all  round,  or  a  block  formed  of  two  or  more  houses  exactly 
alike,  and  placed  side  by  side. 

Symmetry  involves  something  more.  It  asks  for  a  central 
part,  which  shall  connect  the  two  other  parts  into  a  whole,  and 
thereby  make  something  involving  a  more  complete  idea  than 
regularity  and  uniformity.  Thus  Design  YI.  is  a  symmetri- 
cal cottage,  from  the  front  of  which  neither  the  central  part 
nor  the  sides  can  be  taken  away  without  destroying  the  com- 
position as  a  whole.  The  difference  between  this  and  a  regular 
or  a  uniform  building  of  the  same  length,  is  that  the  latter 
might  be  divided   into  several  parts,  each  of  which  is  equally 


14  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

regular  and  unifonn,  and  therefore  as  complete  in  itself  as  tlie 
whole  building. 

Symmetry  is  one  of  the  greatest  beauties  in  all  architecture. 
The  author  of  "  Modem  Painters"  conceives  it  to  be  the  symbol 
oi  abstract  justice  j  and  certainly,  in  material  foiins,  when  joined 
to  proportion,  it  conveys  at  once  an  idea  of  completeness  of 
form,  which  gives  universal  satisfaction.  The  Grecian  temples 
owe  to  these  two  elements  theii*  gi'eat  and  lasting  power  over 
the  human  mind  for  so  many  ages ;  for  it  is  a  beauty  which 
may  be  bestowed  on  a  cottage,  a  villa,  or  indeed  any  kind  of 
building;  and  as  it  is  one  which  appeals  intuitively  to  every 
mind,  it  is  never  neglected  by  artists  who  wish  to  impress  the 
Beautiful  upon  their  w^orks. 

Symmetry  is  quite  distinct  from  proportion.  It  is  only 
necessary  to  remember  that  it  is  a  balance  made  between  op- 
posite parts,  and  that  proportion  is  the  relation  between  all 
the  parts,  to  comprehend  it  more  clearly.  Thus,  a  statue  may 
be  perfectly  symmetrical  on  all  sides,  and  yet  too  short  or  too 
high  in  its  proportions.  The  central  part  of  a  symmetrical 
building,  like  that  in  Design  YI.,  might  be  raised  or  lowered 
several  feet,  without  injiu-ing  the  symmetiy  of  the  composition, 
though  the  proportion  would  be  at  once  destroyed. 

It  has  been  justly  said,  that  though  symmetiy  is  not  the  high- 
est quality  of  beauty,  yet  no  object  can  be  perfectly  beautiful 
without  it.  Hence,  in  many  beautiful  objects,  where,  from  the 
nature  of  the  structure  or  purposes,  exact  or  regular  s}Tnmetry 
is  impossible,  a  certain  balance  must  be  found,  before  they  can 
give  full  satisfaction.  There  are,  then,  in  natm-e  and  art,  two 
kinds  of  symmetry;  that  which  is  regular,  and  strikes  us  at  a 
glance,  like  that  of  a  poplar  or  fii*  tree  whose  limbs  are  equal  on 


THE  REAL  MEANING  OF  AJRCHITEOTUKE.  15 

all  sides  of  the  liead ;  and  that  which  is  iiTegiilar,  such  as  we 
see  in  a  spreading  oak  with  branches  unequal,  but  forming 
altogether  a  head  which  is  equally  symmetrical  with  respect  to 
the  trunk. 

The  strict  application  of  the  principle  of  a  regular  balance  of 
parts,  as  it  would  be  deduced  fi'om  om*  remarks,  would  prevent 
om*  finding  any  s}anmeti'y  in  all  iri'egular  buildings.  But  in 
fact  this  is  not  the  case.  The  most  iiTegular  building,  if  com- 
posed by  an  artist  of  genius,  will  always  e\"ince  sjanmetry; 
that  is  to  say,  it  will  form  an  outline,  in  which  there  will  be 
a  central  portion  or  point,  which  unites  two  sides  into  one 
symmetrical  whole;  two  parts,  which,  if  they  do  not  balance 
each  other  in  exact  forms  and  proportions  as  in  regular  sym- 
metiy,  do  balance  in  the  general  impression  which  they  make 
on  the  eye,  in  the  mass  and  grouping  of  the  composition.  The 
villas  in  Designs  XXL,  XXII.,  are  examples  of  irregular  sym- 
metry, and  may  be  compared  with  the  symmetiical  villas,  in 
some  of  the  other  designs.  Any  building  so  irregular  as  not 
to  show  some  recognition  of  this  principle  of  irregular  sym- 
metry, can  never  be  called  beautiful,  though  it  may  be  sti-ildngly 
odd  or  grotesque. 

We  may  remark  here,  that  buildings  in  an  irregular  style, 
highly  expressive  of  irregular  s}Tiimetiy,  are  much  more  striking 
in  a  pictm'esque  point  of  view,  and  are  therefore  preferred  by 
many  artists.  They  are  more  expressive  of  character  and  in- 
dividuality (in  other  words,  of  relative  beauty)  than  of  ab- 
stract or  universal  beauty;  and  while  they  are,  perhaps,  not 
so  agreeable  to  the  universal  mind,  they  are  far  more  so  to 
certain  mental  organizations.  We  may  also  add,  that  irregular 
symmetry  can  rai'ely  be   expressed,  with  much  success,  in  a 


IG  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

small  edifice.  It  requires  considerable  extent,  and  the  introduc- 
tion of  a  variety  of  parts,  to  enable  one  to  introduce  this  quality, 
in.  a  manner  altogether  satisfactory,  in  a  dwelling  of  small  size. 
For  this  reason  those  cottages  and  small  villas  give  the  greatest 
pleasure,  in  which  proportion  and  regular  symmetiy  are  the 
prevailing  elements  of  beauty. 

Variety,  though  always  a  subordinate,  is  still  an  essential 
quality  of  absolute  beauty.  As,  in  natm"e,  it  gives  richness  and 
interest  to  landscape,  to  sky,  to  the  vegetable  and  animal  king- 
doms, so,  in  ai't,  it  adds  to  the  interest  of  the  'U'hole  by  the 
diversity  which  it  affords  in  the  arrangement,  sizes,  or  forms  of 
the  different  parts.  In  architecture,  variety  is  of  the  greatest 
value,  often  preventing  simple  forms  from  degenerating  into 
baldness,  or  plain  broad  surfaces  from  being  monotonous,  by  its 
power  in  the  arrangement  or  the  decoration  of  details ;  for  it 
is  in  the  details  of  regular  and  symmetrical  buildings,  such  as 
the  cornices,  mouldings,  etc.,  that  variety  is  chiefly  to  be 
introduced.  In  iiTcgular  buildings  there  may  also  be  variety 
in  the  various  parts,  projections,  recesses,  towers,  etc.  A  slight 
difference  in  the  forms,  sizes,  or  decorations  of  certain  parts 
of  a  building,  is  sufiicient  to  give  it  an  expression  of  variety, 
and  by  the  judicious  employment  of  this  quality,  every  archi- 
tect  is  able  to  increase  the  beauty  of  his  whole  composition. 
But  it  should  be  remembered  that  in  architectm*e,  even  more 
than  in  the  other  arts,  it  must  be  kept  mider  the  control  of  the 
judgment,  since,  if  carried  to  a  great  length,  it  leads  to  confu- 
sion, the  result  of  which  is  always  painful  and  destructive  of  all 
beauty.  Intricacy,  which  is  a  complex  sort  of  variety,  is  there- 
fore to  be  avoided  in  domestic  architecture,  as  likely  to  become 
wearisome  and  pei-plexing. 


TIEE  EEAL  MEANING  OF  ARCHITECTUEE.  17 

Harmony  is  an  element  of  beauty  little  understood,  though 
in  the  highest  degree  necessary  to  om-  enjoyment  of  all  com- 
plicated or  elaborate  productions.  It  may  be  defined,  an  agree- 
ment made  in  the  midst  of  the  variety  of  forms,  sounds,  or 
colors,  by  some  one  feeling  which  pervades  the  whole  and  brings 
all  the  varied  parts  into  an  agreeable  relation  with  each  other. 

Tims,  in  landscapes  involving  the  utmost  variety  of  colors 
and  fonus,  the  softening  effect  of  the  atmosphere  spread  over 
them  brings  all  into  harmony :  in  music,  changes  of  opposite 
character  are  brought  into  harmony  by  dominant  chords :  in 
painting,  strong  contrasts  of  colors  are  introduced,  not  only 
without  discord,  but  with  a  most  powerfid  and  agreeable  effect, 
by  the  introduction  of  some  other  tint  or  some  pervading  tone 
that  brings  the  whole  into  harmony. 

In  architectiu-e,  harmony,  in  its  highest  sense,  is  only  ]30ssible 
in  buildings  of  considerable  extent,  where  there  is  sufiicient 
variety  of  form  and  outline  in  the  parts  to  demand  its  presence. 
In  simple  and  regular  buildings,  when  the  same  forms  are 
repeated  with  little  or  no  variation  throughout,  harmony  can- 
not exist,  because  there  is  no  tendency  to  confusion  or  disa- 
greement ;  and  the  beauty  of  harmony  is  only  felt  when  it  so 
presides  over  all,  like  the  charm  of  a  golden  temper,  or  the  glow 
of  a  rich  sunset,  as  to  bring  every  thing  it  touches  under  the 
influence  of  its  magical  power  for  unison. 

As  simple  examples  of  the  production  of  harmony,  we  may 
mention  the  Ionic  column,  in  which  the  agreement  between  the 
circular  lines  of  the  shaft  and  the  straight  line  of  the  entablature 
is  brought  about  by  the  intermediate,  partly  straight  and  partly 
curved  lines  of  the  volutes.  In  Gothic  architectm^e,  the  square- 
headed  door  and  window  heads  are  made  to  harmonize  with 

2 


18  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

those  of  pointed  form,  by  introducing  an  arched  spandril 
nnder  the  square-head.  A  rosette  in  the  middle  of  a  square 
ceiling,  is  out  of  haraiony  with  it ;  hut  it  may  be  made  to 
harmonize,  by  sun'ounding  it  with  a  border  in  which  the  two 
forms  are  ingeniously  blended.  The  facade  of  a  villa  in  which  a 
round  tower  is  joined  to  the  square  angles  of  straight  walls,  is 
destitute  of  harmony ;  but  harmony  is  made  by  repeating  the 
same  feeling  of  the  beauty  of  the  curve  in  the  arched  windows. 
(See  the  Norman  villa — Design  XXI.)  In  Mr.  King's  villa,  at 
Newport  (succeeding  page),  the  architect  has  introduced  a 
variety  of  Italian  window  forms.  The  effect  would  be  dis- 
cordant, were  it  not  that  the  arched  or  round-headed  window 
predominates  over  all,  and  brings  out  of  this  gi-eat  variety  a 
complete  harmony. 

Examples  of  this  kind  might  be  multiplied  to  an  endless 
extent,  but  we  have  said  enough  to  suggest  how  the  presence 
of  this  predominant  feeling  gives  miity  and  completeness  to  a 
whole  composition,  which,  without  it,  would  only  show  tasteless 
diversity  and  discord. 

In  domestic  architectm-e,  the  feeling  of  harmony  is  more  de- 
manded, and  more  easily  evinced  in  the  interiors  than  in  the 
exteriors  of  houses — ^because  the  interiors  show  a  greater  variety 
of  lines,  forms,  and  colors ;  or  in  the  shape  and  arrangement  of 
the  rooms ;  or  in  their  architectural  decorations,  and  their  fmni- 
ture.  Harmony  is  evinced  in  all  these  cases,  by  rejecting  all 
forms,  outlines,  and  colors  that  do  not  intrinsically  admit  of 
being  brought  inro  harmonious  agreement  witli  eacli  other. 
Harmony  may  pervade  an  entire  mansion,  so  that  all  its  portions 
and  details  exhibit  the  most  complete  agi-eement  throughout,  or 
it  may  be  confined  to  each  apartment,  extending  its  influence 


THE  KEAL  MEAXING  OF  ARCIIITKCTIKE.  19 

only  over  the  various  objects  which  enter  into  its  composition. 
As  regularity  is  the  simplest  quality  of  absolute  beauty,  and 
the  fii-st  recognized,  even  by  those  of  least  sensibility  to  the 
beautiful,  so  harmony,  being  the  most  complex,  is  the  last 
recognized,  and  usually  requires  some  cultivation  to  lead  us 
to  its  fiill  perception.  We  see,  every  day,  buildings  in  which 
s}Tnmetry  and  proportion  are  not  wanting ;  but  those  in  which 
we  find  these  united  to  variety,  and  the  whole  pervaded  by  har- 
mony, are  comparatively  rare. 

It  by  no  means  follows,  however,  that  srMPLicriY  is  without 
its  charms,  because  harmony,  which  can  only  gi*ow  out  of  the 
display  of  a  greater  variety  than  simple  forms  admit,  involves 
a  higher  charm.  On  the  contrary,  the  pleasure  which  in 
a  small  building  we  derive  from  simplicity  or  chasteness,  is 
far  greater  than  that  derived  from  the  pretension  of  harmony, 
since,  in  a  small  cottage,  there  is  no  legitimate  reason  for 
variety. 

•  It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  proportion  and  symmetry  are  the 
proper  sources  of  beauty  in  a  cottage  of  small  size,  and  that 
we  should  look  for  variety  and  harmony  only  in  private 
dwellings  of  a  larger  size,  where  there  is  opportunity  for  the 
production  of  these  elements. 

Ukitt  is  the  highest  idea  or  quality  of  absti'act  beauty,  for 
it  comprehends,  includes,  and  governs  all  the  others.  It  is 
the  predominance  of  one  smgle  feeling,  one  soul,  one  mind 
in  every  portion,  so  that,  whether  of  the  simplest  or  the 
most  complicated  form,  the  same  spirit  is  recognized  throughout 
the  whole. 

To  understand  the  value  of  Unity,  we  may  suppose  a 
building  finely  proportioned,  symmetrical,  varied,  and  harmo- 


20  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

nious,  and  yet  composed  of  such  diffei-ent  and  unsuitable 
materials  as  to  have  no  unity  of  substance;  or  of  difterent 
though  perhaps  harmonious  kinds  of  architecture,  so  as  to 
have  no  unity  of  style ;  or  of  different  hues,  so  as  to  have  no 
unity  of  color;  or,  in  character,  partly  a  cottage,  partly  a 
fami-house,  and  partly  a  viUa,  so  as  to  have  no  unity  of 
expression.  Ideas  of  beauty,  of  various  kinds,  there  certainly 
would  be  in  such  buildings,  but  no  unity — nothing  to  indicate 
til  at  they  sprang  fi-om  a  single  comprehensive  feeling,  or  fi-om 
one  wise  and  consistent  mind. 

Relative  Beauty.  Having  shown  the  qualities  of  simple 
or  absolute  beauty — the  sources  of  om-  pleasure  in  what  is 
commoidy  called  "  beauty  of  form,"  we  turn  to  the  considera- 
tion of  relative  beauty — that  beauty  which  expresses  peculiar 
rnoi'al,  social,  or  intellectual  ideas,  and  which  is  usually  tenned 
"'  beauty  of  expression." 

Relative  Beauty,  in  architecture,  is  the  expression  of  elevated 
and  refined  ideas  of  man's  life.  In  this  art,  its  first  and  most 
]wwerful  expressions  are  those  of  his  public  life,  or  his  reli- 
gious and  inteUectiial  nature — in  the  temple,  the  chm'ch,  or 
the  lil)rary  or  gallery  of  art — all  forms  of  Civil  Ai'chitecture. 
Its  secondary  expression  is  confined  to  the  manifestation  of 
his  social  and  moral  feelings,  in  the  dwellings  which  man 
inhabits ;  and  this  is  Domestic  Architectm-e. 

We  cannot  Ijetter  convey  an  idea  of  the  beauty  of  expression 
of  M-hich  the  grander  generic  forms  or  styles  of  architectm-e 
are  capable,  than  by  the  following  brief  description  by  another 
hand.* 

*  Literary  World 


THE  KEAL  MEANING  OF  AJBCfflTECTUEE.  21 

"In  the  forms  of  the  Gothic  cathedral  are  embodied  the 
worsMjyping  principle^  tlie  loving  reverence  for  that  which  is 
highest^  and  tJie  sentiment  of  Christian  brotherhood.,  or  that 
perception  of  affiliation  which  is  founded  on  recognizing  in 
man  goodness  and  trath,  and  reverencing  them  in  him.  This 
is  expressed  in  the  principal  lines,  which  are  all  vertical 
[aspu-ing,  tending  upward]  ;  in  the  whole  mass  falling  under,  or 
within  the  pyramidal  (the  fire,  or  spnbol  of  love)  form ;  in 
the  pointed  character  of  all  the  openings,  ogime.,  as  the  French 
call  it,  being  the  ideal  line  expressive  of  finimess  of  base, 
embracingness  of  tendency,  and  upward  ascension,  as  its 
ultimate  aim;  and  in  the  clustering  and  grouping  of  its 
multij)le  pai-ts.  Gothic  architectm-e  being  thus  representative 
rather  of  the  Unity  of  Love,  than  of  the  diversities  of  Faith, 
it  seems  proper  that  it  should  be  the  style  used  for  all  ecclesias- 
tical and  other  pm-poses  having  reference  to  religious  life. 

"  But  it  is  not  Gothic  art,  alone,  that  has  developed  the  form 
of  some  principle  of  life :  all  architecture  is  as  expressive.  In 
Roman  art,  we  see  the  ideal  of  the  state  as  fully  manifested  as 
is  in  the  Gothic  the  ideal  of  the  chm'ch.  Its  t}^e-form  is  the 
dome — the  encircling,  overspreading  dome,  whose  centre  is 
within  itself,  and  which  is  the  binding  of  all  for  the  perfection 
of  the  whole.  Hence  the  propriety  of  using  this  style  in 
State-houses,  capitols,  parliament-houses,  town-halls,  where  this 
idea  is  to  be  expressed. 

"Again,  we  have  the  pure  Greek  temple  as  another  archi- 
tectm-al  type.  This  can  also  be  used  in  a  special  way  (having 
its  individual  expression).  It  is  the  most  simple,  rational,  and 
harmoniously  elegant  style,  that  can  be  conceived,  for  simple 
halls,  for  public,  oratorical,  lectm-e,  and  philosophical  rooms. 


22  COUNTKT  HOUSES. 

Buildings  Avljieli  have  but  one  object,  and  wliich  I'equire  one 
ex})res.sion  of  that  object,  cannot  be  built  in  a  style  better 
adaj^ted  to  convey  the  single  idea  of  their  use,  than  in  the 
Grecian-temple  form.  Here,  with  the  single  exception  of  the 
pediment  (which  distinctly,  by  its  outline,  marked  the  place  as 
the  abode  of  tlie  gods,  and  the  tympanum,  wliicli  was  always 
occupied  by  statues  of  the  highest  intelligence,  and  the 
representative  arrangement  of  all  deities  expressive  of  the 
perfect  subordination  of  all  principles,  hmnan  and  divine,  under 
the  supremacy  of  Almighty  Love),  every  thing  falls  under  the 
Ihorizontal  line^ — the  level  line  of  rationality ;  it  is  all  logical, 
orderly,  syllogistically  perfect,  as  the  wisdom  of  the  schools." 

In  Domestic  Architectm-e,  though  the  range  of  expression 
may  at  first  seem  limited,  it  is  not  so  in  fact,  for  when  com- 
plete, it  ought  to  be  significant  of  the  whole  private  life  of  man 
— his  intelligence,  his  feelings,  and  his  enjoyments. 

Indeed,  it  is  from  this  complexity  of  feelings  and  habits,  that 
Domestic  Architecture  is  capable  of  a  great  variety  of  expres- 
sion. Tliis  will  not  appear  singular  when  we  reflect  that 
public  buildings,  for  the  most  part,  are  intended  for  a  single 
and  definite  use — as  a  chm'ch  for  public  worsliip,  or  a  town- 
hall  for  political  assemblies ;  while  man's  dwelling,  in  its  most 
complete  form,  may  be  regarded  as  the  type  of  his  whole 
private  life.  It  is  true,  the  private  life  of  many  men  is  simple 
almost  to  monotony,  but  that  of  othei*s  abounds  with  infinite 
diversity. 

N(»w,  all  this  variety,  in  domestic  life,  is  capable  of  being 
expressed,  and  really  is  expressed,  in  Domestic  Architectm'e, 
es]iccially  in  Coimtrv  Architecture,  which  is  not  cramped  in  its 
manifestation,   but   develops  itself  freely,   as   a  tree  expands 


KE.Vl,  MEANING  OF  ARCHITECTURE.  23 

which  is  not  crowded  by  neighboi's  iu  a  forest,  but  grows  in  the 
um-estrained  liberty  of  the  open  meadow. 

If  we  pass  an  ill-proportioned  dwelling,  where  the  walls  and 
the  roof  are  built  only  to  defend  the  inmates  against  cold  and 
heat ;  the  windows  intended  for  nothing  but  to  admit  the  light 
and  exclude  the  air ;  the  chimneys  constiiicted  only  to  carry  off 
the  smoke ;  the  impression  which  that  house  makes  upon  us  at 
a  glance,  is  that  of  mere  utility. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  building  is  well  proportioned,  if 
there  is  a  pleasing  symmetry  in  its  outward  form,  and  (should  it 
be  large)  if  it  display  variety,  harmony,  and  unity,  we  feel  that 
it  possesses  much  absolute  beauty — the  beauty  of  a  fine  form. 

K,  in  addition  to  this,  we  obseiTe  that  it  has  various  marked 
featm-es,  indicating  intelligent  and  cultivated  life  in  its  in- 
habitants ;  if  it  plainly  shows  by  its  various  apartments,  that 
it  is  intended  not  only  for  the  physical  wants  of  man,  but  for 
his  moral,  social,  and  intellectual  existence ;  if  hospitality  smiles 
in  ample  parlors ;  if  home  virtues  dwell  in  cosy,  fii'eside  family- 
rooms  ;  if  the  love  of  the  beautiful  is  seen  in  pictm-e  or  statue 
galleries ;  intellectuality,  in  well-stocked  libraries ;  and  even 
a  dignified  love  of  leism-e  and  repose,  in  cool  and  spacious 
verandas ;  we  feel,  at  a  glance,  that  here  we  have  reached  the 
highest  beauty  of  which  Domestic  Architecture  is  capable — 
that  of  individual  expression. 

Hence,  every  thing  in  architectm'e  that  can  suggest  or  be 
made  a  s}Tnbol  of  social  or  domestic  virtues,  adds  to  its  beauty. 
and  exalts  its  character.  Every  material  object  that  becomes 
the  type  of  the  spiritual,  moral,  or  intellectual  natm'e  of  man, 
becomes  at  once  beautiful,  because  it  is  suggestive  of  the  beau- 
tiftil  in  human  natm*e. 


24:  COOsTKY  HOUSES. 

There  are,  d(jul)tless,  many  persons  wlio  rarely  analyze  their 
feelings,  and  wlio  usually  sec  nothing  of  this  beauty  of  ex- 
pression in  domestic  architectiu*e — tliey  see  only  the  fact  that 
a  house  is  a  house  (more  or  less  costly,  and  therefore  to  be 
admired),  a  window  a  window,  and  a  door  a  door :  these  are 
those  who  pay  no  attention  to  ex]^>ression  in  nature — a  daisy- 
spangled  meadow  is  to  them  only  a  "  field,"  or  the  most  poetical 
landscape,  only  a  "  prospect ;" — those  who  never  see  their 
friends'  characters  in  their  faces,  only  in  t\Q  facts  of  their  lives. 
But  this  no  more  proves  that  the  exjDression  does  not  exist  in 
all  visible  forms,  than  that  the  earth  is  not  round  because  com- 
mon observation  tells  us  it  is  flat. 

More  than  this,  beauty  of  expression,  in  architecture,  as  in 
other  arts,  and  even  in  nature,  rerpiires  educated  feeling — it  is 
as  obscure  and  imperceptible  to  the  majority  of  those  who 
have  never  sought  for  it,  as  the  beauty  of  clouds  or  aerial  per- 
spective in  landscapes  is  to  the  most  ignorant  ploughman  in 
the  fields. 

We  are  bound  to  add  here,  that  in  all  arts,  other  thoughts 
may  be  expressed  besides  those  of  beauty.  Vices  may  be 
expressed  in  architecture  as  well  as  virtues ;  the  worst  j^art  of 
our  natures  as  well  as  the  best.  A  house  built  only  M'ith  a 
view  to  animal  wants,  eating  and  drinking,  will  express  sen- 
suality instead  of  hospitality.  A  residence  marked  by  gaudy 
and  garish  apartments,  intended  only  to  dazzle  and  impress 
othei*8  with  the  wealth  or  importance  of  the  proprietor,  will 
express  pride  and  vanity  instead  of  a  real  love  of  Avhat  is  beauti- 
fid  for  its  own  sake;  and  a  dwelling  in  which  a  lai-ge  and 
conspicuous  part  is  kept  for  show,  to  delude  others  into  the 
belief  of  dignity  and  grace  on  our  part,  while  our  actual  life 


State   CoUei(f 


THE  KEAL  MEAJTING  OF  AKCmTECTUKE.  25 

is  one  in  mean  apartments,  expresses  any  thing  bnt  honest 
sincerity  of  character. 

It  requires  the  more  judgment  to  guard  against  the  effect  of 
such  vicious  expression,  because  it  is  often  coupled  with  some 
beauty.  A  house  may  be  copied  after  a  pm-e  model,  and  thus 
possess  absolute  beauty  in  the  fine  symmetiy  and  proportion  of 
its  leading  foinns,  and  yet  be  debased  in  certain  parts  by  the 
expression  of  the  pride,  vanity,  egotism,  or  other  bad  traits  of 
its  possessors. 

Yet,  after  all,  this,  like  all  other  manifestations  of  the  indi- 
vidual man,  while  it  has  a  tendency  to  degi-ade  art,  gives  us 
the  key  to  the  character  of  the  artist  and  the  possessor.  And 
we  often  find  that  the  want  of  vuiue  and  beauty  of  character 
in  the  owner  of  a  house  which  is  beautiful,  because  designed 
by  other  hands  (a  want  which  almost  certainly  shows  itself  in 
the  details  or  the  fimutm-e),  deadens  or  desti'oys  its  beauty 
by  overlaying  its  fair  featiu'es  with  a  coiTupt  or  ^Hicious  ex- 
pression. 

After  these  remarks,  it  will  not  appear  singular  to  our 
readers,  that  we  believe  much  of  the  character  of  every  man 
may  be  read  in  his  house.  If  he  has  moulded  its  leading 
featm'es  from  the  foundation,  it  will  give  a  clue  to  a  large 
part  of  his  character.  If  he  has  only  taken  it  fi-om  other 
hands,  it  will,  in  its  internal  details  and  use,  show,  at  a  glance, 
something  of  the  daily  thoughts  and  life  of  the  family  that  in- 
habits it. 

Admitting  the  troth  of  this,  it  is  evident  that  Domestic 
Ai'chitectm-e  is  only  perfect  when  it  is  composed  so  as  to  ex- 
press the  utmost  loeauty  and  troth  in  the  life  of  the  individual. 
It  is  not  always  that  a  proprietor  can   design   his  own  house. 


26  COHNTKT  HOUSES. 

or  even  that  liis  architect  knows  him  so  completely  as  to 
make  his  M'ork  express  the  individual  truly.  Hence  we  sel- 
dom see  entirely  satisfactory  architectm'e,  where  a  beauti- 
ful house  fully  reflects  a  fine  character;  but  as  character 
always  makes  its  mark,  something  of  this  kind  always  does 
hajjpen,  and  in  proportion  to  its  completeness  does  it  heighten 
om*  pleasm'e.* 

The  different  styles  of  Domestic  Ai'chitecture,  as  the  Roman, 
the  Italian,  the  Swiss,  the  Venetian,  the  Rm-al  Gothic,  are 
nothing  more  than  expressions  of  national  character,  which 
have,  through  long  use,  become  permanent.  Thus,  the  gay 
and  sunny  temperament  of  the  south  of  Em'ope  is  well  ex- 
pressed in  the  light  balconies,  the  grouped  windows,  the 
open  arcades,  and  the  statue  and  vase  bordered  terraces  of 
the  Venetian  and  Italian  villas :  tlie  homely,  yet  strong  and 
quaint  character  of  the  Swiss,  in  their  broad-roofed,  half  rude, 
and  cmiously  constructed  cottages :  the  domestic  idrtues,  the 
love  of  home,  rm*al  beauty,  and  seclusion,  cannot  possibly 
be  better  expressed  than  in  the  English  cottage,  with  its 
many  upward-pointing  gables,  its  intricate  tracery,  its  spacious 
bay  windows,  and  its  walls  covered  with  vines  and  flowering 
shrubs. 

Tliere  are  positive  and  human  elements  of  beauty  in  these 
styles  which   appeal   at   once   to   the  feelings.     But  there   is, 

*  Hence,  also,  it  is  impossible  in  a  series  of  designs,  like  those  which  follow,  to 
make  any  one  of  them  entirely  satisfactory,  as  a  residence,  to  any  individual  of 
taste.  To  do  this,  the  architect  must  know  the  man.  All  that  we  can  do,  is  to 
offer  to  the  feelings  and  judgment  of  our  rciulors  a  number  of  designs.  If  their 
own  character  is  more  or  less  typified  in  any  one  of  them,  tliat  design  will  be  at 
once  preferred  by  them. 


? 


THE  KEAIi  MEAOTNG  OF  AKCHTTECTUEE.  27 

besides,  another  source  of  pleasure  to  most  minds,  which 
springs  not  from  the  beauty  of  form  or  expression  in  these 
styles  of  architecture,  but  fi'om  personal  or  historical  asso- 
ciations connected  with  them ;  and  which,  by  a  process  half 
addressed  to  the  feelings  and  half  to  the  intellect,  makes 
them  in  the  highest  degree  interesting  to  us.  Something 
too  of  novelty  and  strangeness  makes  mere  style  in  archi- 
tectm'e,  like  accent  in  a  foreign  language,  captivating  to 
those  whose  love  of  novelty  is  stronger  than  their  love  of  what 
is  intrinsically  beautiful.  So  far  as  an  admiration  of  foreign 
style  in  architecture  arises  from  the  mere  love  of  novelty, 
it  is  poor  and  contemj^tible ;  so  far  as  it  arises  fr-om  an 
admiration  of  truthful  beauty  of  form  or  expression,  it  is 
noble  and  praiseworthy.  A  villa  in  the  style  of  a  Persian 
palace  (of  which  there  is  an  example  lately  erected  in  Con- 
necticut), with  its  oriental  domes  and  minarets,  equally 
unmeaning  and  unsuited  to  om'  life  or  climate,  is  an  example 
of  the  former ;  as  an  English  cottage,  with  its  beautiful  home- 
expression  and  its  thorough  comfort  and  utility,  evinced  in 
steep  roofs  to  shed  the  snow,  and  varied  form  to  accommodate 
modem  habits,  is  of  the  latter. 

Architectural  style  is  only  exhibited  in  its  severity  and 
perfection,  in  public  buildings  of  the  first  class,  whose  dignity, 
grandeur,  and  importance  demand  and  permit  it ;  such  as 
the  church,  the  caj)itol,  public  institutions,  etc.  In  them  we 
see,  for  example,  the  Gothic  or  Greek  styles,  in  their  greatest 
completeness  and  fullest  development.  Domestic  Architecture, 
on  the  contrary,  should  be  less  severe,  less  rigidly  scientific, 
and  it  should  exhibit  more  of  the  freedom  and  play  of  feeling  of 
every-day  life.      A  man  may,  in  public  halls,  recite  a  poem 


28  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

in  blank  verse,  or  deliver  a  studied  oration  with  the  utmost 
propriety ;  but  he  would  be  justly  the  object  of  ridicule  if  at 
the  fireside  he  talked  about  the  weather,  his  fauiily,  or  liis 
friend,  in  the  same  strain.  What  familiar  ci;>nversation, 
however  tasteful  and  well  bred,  is  to  public  declamation, 
Domestic  is  to  Ci'vil  or  Ecclesiastical  Architecture ;  and  we 
have  no  more  patience  with  those  architects  who  give 
us  copies  of  the  temple  of  Theseus,  with  its  high,  severe 
colonnades,  for  dwellings,  than  with  a  friend  who  should 
describe  his  wife  and  children  to  us  in  the  lofty  rhythm 
of  Ossian.  For  this  reason  the  Italian,  "Venetian,  S^viss, 
Kural  Gothic,  and  om*  Bracketed  style,  all  modified  and 
subdued  fonns  of  the  Gothic  and  Greek  styles,  are  the 
variations  of  those  types  most  suitable  for  Domestic  Archi- 
tectm'e. 

A  word  or  two  may,  perhaps,  not  be  out  of  place  here,  on 
the  Picturesqxie^  as  distinguished  fi-om  the  Beautiftil,  in  ai"chi- 
tectm'e.  Whatever  critics  may  affirm,  we  look  uiion  them  as 
distinct  in  their  natm'e,  though  often  blended  together  m  Ru- 
ral Architecture. 

The  Beautiful,  in  architecture,  is  the  complete  embodiment 
of  ideas  of  beauty  in  a  given  material  form ;  an  embodiment 
in  which  the  idea  triumphs  over  the  material  and  brings  it 
into  perfect  subjection — we  might  almost  say,  of  rep<'se  ;  where 
there  is  neither  want  of  unity,  proportion,  harmony,  nor  the 
right  expression. 

The  Picturesque  is  seen  in  ideas  of  beauty  manifested  with 
something  of  mdeness,  violence,  or  difficulty.  The  effect  of 
the  whole  is  spirited  and  pleasing,  but  parts  are  n<jt  balanced, 
proportions   are  not  perfect,  and  details  are  rude.    AVe  feel 


THE  EEAI.  MEANING   OF   AECHITEOTUEE.  29 

at  the  first  glance  at  a  picturesque  object,  tlie  idea  of  power 
exerted,  rather  than  the  idea  of  beauty  which  it  involves. 

As  regularity  and  proportion  are  fundamental  ideas  of 
absolute  beauty,  the  Pictm-esque  will  be  found  always  to 
depend  upon  the  opposite  conditions  of  matter — in-egularity, 
and  a  partial  want  of  proportion  and  symmetry.  Thus,  the 
pm*est  Greek  architecture,  or  the  finest  examples  of  Palladio, 
are  at  once  highly  symmetrical  and  beautiful ;  the  varied 
Italian  villa,  or  the  ruder  Swiss  chalet,  highly  in-egular  and 
picturesque. 

As  picturesqueness  denotes  power,  it  necessarily  follows 
that  all  architecture  in  which  beauty  of  expression  strongly 
predominates  over  pm'e  material  beauty,  must  be  more  or  less 
picturesque.  And  as  force  of  exj^ression  should  rightly  spring 
from  force  of  character,  so  Picturesque  Architectm'e,  where 
its  pictm*esqueness  grows  out  of  strong  character  in  the  in- 
habitant, is  the  more  interesting  to  most  minds  :  though  if  the 
Beautiful,  as  we  believe,  signifies  the  perfect  balance  between  a 
beautifiil  idea  and  the  material  form  in  which  it  is  conveyed  to 
the  eye,  a  tnily  beautiful  form,  so  rarely  seen,  and  involving,  of 
course,  harmonious  expression,  whether  it  be  in  man,  natm'e,  or 
art,  is  more  perfect  and  satisfactory  than  a  pictm'esque  one ;  as, 
in  character,  the  beauty  and  symmetry  of  "Washington  is  more 
satisfactory  than  the  greater  j)ower  and  lesser  balance  of  Na- 
poleon ;  or,  in  nature,  a  "  golden  landscape  of  Arcady"  is  more 
perfect  than  a  wild  scene  in  the  Hartz  moimtains ;  or,  in  archi- 
tectm'e, a  villa  of  the  most  exquisite  symmetry  is  more  perma- 
nently pleasing  than  one  of  great  u-regularity.  But  this  is, 
perhaps,  pursuing  the  matter  fm-ther  than  om*  readers  require. 
We  have  gone  far  enough  to  show  the  som*ces  of  the  two  kinds 


30  OOUNTKY   HOUSES. 

of  interest.  And  no  person  can  harmoniously  combine  rural 
architecture  and  rural  scenery,  unless  he  understands  some- 
thing, at  least,  of  the  nature  of  both.* 


THE  TRUE  m  ABCHirECTUEE. 

Having  considered  architecture  as  addressing  the  senses  and 
the  heart,  let  us  examine  what  control  the  knowledge,  reason, 
or  judgment  of  man  has  over  it. 

Architecture  may  be  useful,  it  may  be  beautifiil,  and  still  not 
altogether  satisfactory,  unless  it  is  also  ti-uthful  or  significant. 
The  intellect  must  approve  what  the  senses  relish  and  the  heart 
loves. 

Now  it  by  no  means  follows  that  Truth  and  Beauty  are  the 
same  thing;  though  some  ^vl•itel•s  have  labored  hard  to  con- 
vince themselves  of  the  existence  of  such  a  synon^mi.  Arti- 
ficial flowers  or  false  gems  may  awaken  the  same  ideas  of 
beauty  in  the  ignorant  beholder,  as  if  they  were  real.  A 
house  built  of  lath  and  plaster  may,  with  good  proportions  and 
fair  ornaments,  raise  in  us  the  same  emotions  of  beauty  as 
one  built  of  marl)le  or  freestone.  But  the  moment  our  reason 
discovers  that  Beauty  and  Tnith  are  at  variance,  the  pleasure  is 
either  greatly  weakened,  or  altogether  destroyed. 

On  the  other  hand,  architecture  may  be  full  of  Truth,  and 

*  In  the  fourth  edition  of  our  treatise  on  Landscape  Gardening,  we  have 
endeavored  more  fully  to  develop  the  nature  of  the  Picturesque  in  scenery ; 
and  we  refer  those  to  that  volume,  who  wish  to  aim  at  the  production  of 
the  most  harmonious  effects,  by  adapting  the  house  to  the  scenery  where  it  is  to 
be  placed. 


TILE  HEAL  MEAJSING  OF  AECHITECTDBE.  31 

yet  from  the  want  of  proportion,  symmetry,  harmony,  or  ex- 
pression, fall  entirely  short  of  real  beauty.* 

But  although  Beauty  and  Truth  are  not  synonymous  in  art, 
all  beauty,  to  be  satisfactory,  must  be  based  upon  Truth.  Tliis 
is  especially  true  in  Architecture,  which,  it  must  never  be 
forgotten,  is  not  only  a  beautiful  art,  but  an  art,  the  primary 
condition  of  which  is,  that  it  must  be  useful. 

Now,  there  are  three  most  important  ti'uths  which  all  Do- 
mestic Architectiu-e  should  present,  and  without  which,  it 
must  always  be  imsatisfactory.  The  first  is,  the  general  truth 
that  the  building  is  intended  for  a  dwelling-house ;  the  second, 
the  local  truth  that  it  is  intended  for  a  town  or  country  house ; 
and  the  third,  the  specific  truth  that  it  is  intended  for  a  cer- 
tain kind  of  country  house — as  a  cottage,  farm-house,  or  villa. 

It  may  appear  singular  to  one  not  accustomed  to  dwell  on 
this  subject,  that  it  should  be  necessary  to  insist  on  the  value 
of  so  obvious  a  truth  as  that  a  dwelling-house  should  look 
like  a  dwelling-house.  But,  strange  to  say,  men  who  are 
blinded  by  fashion  or  false  taste  are  as  likely  to  commit  this 
violation  of  architectural  truth  as  any  other.  "We  recall  a 
villa  on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson,  built  in  the  form  of  a  Doric 
temple,  all  the  chimneys  of  which  are  studiously  collected 
together  in  the  centi-e  of  the  roof,  and  are  hidden  from  even  a 
susjDicion  of  their  existence,  by  a  sort  of  mask  that  resembles 
nothing,  unless  it  be  a  classic  well-cm-b  set  on  the  top  of  the 

*  And  in  this  respect,  Architecture  more  than  most  other  arts.  A  landscape 
painter,  for  instance,  though  he  only  copies  the  truth  of  nature,  cannot  fail  in 
producing  much  beauty,  because  there  is  something  of  beauty  in  all  nature's 
works;  though  he  will  not  produce  so  much  beauty  as  another  artist  who  studies 
and  reproduces  only  the  finest  and  most  beautiful  ideas  in  nature. 


32  COUNTRY    HOUSES. 

house.  Isow,  as  chimneys,  in  a  northern  climate,  are  par- 
ticularly expressive  of  human  habitation  and  domestic  life, 
any  concealment  of  them  is  a  violation  of  general  truth,  and 
one  might  Avell  he  puzzled  to  know  what  sort  of  edifice  was 
intended,  in  the  villa  in  question.  So,  too,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  some  of  our  cities,  we  still  occasionally  see  houses 
which  are  pretty  close  imitations  of  Greek  temples  ;  as  these 
Ijuildings  have  sometimes  as  much  space  devoted  to  porticoes 
and  colonnades  as  to  rooms,  one  may  well  be  pardoned  for 
doubting  exactly  for  ^^hat  purpose  they  were  designed. 

Every  featm-e,  on  the  other  hand,  which  denotes  domestic  life 
becomes  a  valuable  tnith  in  Domestic  Architecture.  Windows, 
dooi*s,  and  chimneys,  are  the  first  of  these  truths,  though  they 
are  not  the  highest,  as  churches,  factories,  and  out-buildings 
also  have  windows,  doors,  and  chimneys ;  and  therefore  such 
windows,  doors,  and  chimneys  as  particularly  belong  to  or  dis- 
tinguish a  dwelling-house  from  all  other  buildings,  are  more 
valuable  truths  that  those  forms  that  are  merely  usefid  without 
being  truthful. 

Yerandas,  piazzas,  bay-windows,  balconies,  etc.,  are  the  most 
valuable  general  truths  in  Domestic  Architectm-e ;  they  express 
domestic  habitation  more  strongly  because  they  are  chiefly  con- 
fined to  our  own  dwellings.* 

*  To  show  the  diflfercnce  between  an  itlea  of  trutli  and  one  of  beauty,  we 
may  here  remark,  that  mere  chimney-tops,  wmdows,  verandas,  etc.,  though  in 
the  highest  degree  vahiable  as  truths,  do  not  become  beauties  until  they  are 
made  beautiful  by  proportion,  or  grace  of  form,  or  by  exjiressing  some  feeling 
other  than  tliat  of  mere  utility.  A  chimney  may  be  an  ugly  chimney,  and  yet 
give  a  truthful  expression  to  a  dwellmg;  or  it  may  be  a  finely-formed  chimney, 
and  thus  become  a  beautiful  truth. 


THE   REAL  MEANING   OF  ARCHITECTIIRE.  33 

Local  truth  in  Architecture  is  one  which  can  never  be 
neglected  without  greatly  injuring  the  efiect  of  countiy  houses. 
And  yet,  such  is  the  influence  of  fashion  and  false  taste,  and  so 
little  do  the  majority  of  citizens  trouble  themselves  to  think  on 
this  subject,  that  nothing  is  more  common  in  some  parts  of  the 
country  than  to  see  the  cockneyism  of  three-story  town  houses 
violating  the  beauty  and  simplicity  of  country  life.  Li  our  own 
neighborhood,  there  is  a  brick  house  standing  in  the  midst  of 
gardens  and  orchard,  which  has  a  front  and  rear  pierced  with 
windows,  but  only  blank  wall  at  the  sides ;  looking,  in  fact, 
precisely  as  if  lifted  out  of  a  three-story  row  in  a  well-packed 
city  street,  and  suddenly  di'opped  in  the  midst  of  a  green  field 
in  the  coimtry,  full  of  wonder  and  contempt,  like  a  true  cock- 
ney, at  the  strangeness  and  dulness  of  all  around  it.  Duiing 
a  drive  on  Long  Island,  last  autumn,  we  saw  with  pain  and 
mortification,  the  suburban  villa  of  a  wealthy  citizen,  a  narrow, 
unmistakable  "six-story  brick,"  which  seemed,  in  its  forlorn- 
ness,  and  utter  want  of  harmony  with  all  about  it,  as  if  it  had 
strayed  out  of  town,  in  a  fit  of  insanity,  and  had  lost  the  power 
of  getting  back  again. 

To  give  an  expression  of  local  truth  to  a  country  house, 
it  should  always  show  a  tendency  to  spread  out  and  extend 
itself  on  the  ground,  rather  than  to  run  up  in  the  air.  There 
is  space  enough  in  the  country;  and  because  a  citizen  has 
lived  in  town,  where  land  is  sold  by  the  square  foot,  and  where, 
in  consequence,  he  has  had  to  mount  fom*  pair  of  stairs  daily, 
is  surely  no  reason  why  he  should  compel  himself  to  do 
the  same  thing  in  the  countiy.  Indeed,  economy  in  the  first 
cost  of  a  house  (that  is  to  say,  the  lessened  expense  of  building 
two  stories  under  the  same  roof  and  over  the  same  foundation) 

3 


34  OOUNTRY   HOUSES. 

is  the  principal  reason  why  most  country  houses  are  not  still 
more  ample,  extended,  and  rambling  on  tlie  surface,  than  they 
nsually  are. 

Another  exhibition  of  the  want  of  local  tnitli  in  many  large 
country  houses,  is  seen  in  their  internal  arrangements.  Tlicir 
plan  is,  indeed,  a  hall  running  directly  through  the  house,  with 
two  or  four  rooms  on  a  floor,  and  hence  the  same  meagemess, 
and  want  of  variety  and  convenience,  as  in  the  cramped  space 
of  a  small  town  house. 

Specific  truths,  in  our  Rural  Architecture,  are  perhaps  less 
frequently  neglected  than  the  others.  In  the  majority  of  cases, 
the  amount  of  means  to  be  expended,  prevents  builders  from 
making  cottages  look  like  villas.  Still,  there  is,  undoubtedly, 
a  gi'cat  want  of  perception  of  the  value  of  specific  truth  in 
many  cases  here ;  but  it  arises,  partly,  from  a  foolish  ambition 
in  those  who  build  cottages  and  wish  to  make  them  appear 
like  villas ;  and,  partly,  from  an  ignorance  of  what  the  tnie 
beauty  of  a  country  cottage  consists  in — which  is  not  architec- 
tural ornament  so  much  as  a  good  fonn,  simplicity  of  details, 
and  the  rural  embellishment  of  vines  and  foliage. 

If  all  persons  building  in  the  country,  knew  how  much  the 
beauty  and  pleasure  we  derive  from  Ilm-al  Architecture  is 
enhanced  by  truthfulness,  we  should  be  spared  tlie  pain  of 
seeing  so  many  miserable  failures  in  country  houses  of  small 
dimensions.  A  cottage  (by  which  wc  mean  a  house  of  small 
size)  will  never  succeed  in  an  attempt  to  impose  itself  upon  us 
as  a  villa.  Nay,  it  will  lose  its  own  peculiar  charm,  which 
is  as  great,  in  its  way,  as  that  of  the  villa.  This  throwing 
away  the  peculiar  beauty  and  simplicity  of  a  cottage,  in  en- 
deavoring to   imitate   the  richness   and  variety  of  a  villa,  is 


THE   REAL  MEAlflNG   OF   ARCHITECTURE.  35 

as  false  in  taste,  as  for  a  person  of  simple  and  fi-ank  character 
to  lay  aside  kis  simplicity  and  frankness,  to  assume  the  cultiva- 
tion and  poKsli  of  a  man  of  the  world.  The  basis  for  enduring 
beauty  is  truthfulness,  no  less  in  houses  than  in  morals ;  and 
cottages,  farm-houses,  and  villas,  which  aim  to  be  only  the  best 
and  most  agreeable  cottages,  farm-houses,  and  villas,  will  be 
infinitely  more  acceptable,  to  the  senses,  feelings,  and  under- 
standing, than  those  which  endeavor  to  assume  a  grandeur 
foreign  to  their  nature  and  pm-pose.  This  we  say,  too,  with 
the  fullest  desire  that  the  cottage  should  contain  every  comfort 
and  refinement  which  our  happy  country,  above  aU  others, 
places  within  the  reach  of  working-men;  and  we  say  it,  be- 
cause, being  intelligent  working-men,  they  ought,  more  than 
the  same  class  anywhere  else,  to  feel  the  value  and  the 
dignity  of  labor,  and  the  superior  beauty  of  a  cottage  home 
which  is  ti-uthful,  and  aims  to  be  no  more  than  it  honestly  is, 
over  one  that  strives  to  be  something  which  it  is  not. 

In  order  to  assist  the  reader  in  judging  of  truth  in  Domestic 
Ai'chitectm-e,  we  shall  again  refer  to  the  significance  of  ex- 
pression, form,  and  decoration  in  the  cottage,  farm-house,  and 
villa  in  succeeding  pages. 

A  word  or  two  may  very  properly  be  said  here,  regarding 
truthfulness  of  materials. 

The  principle  which  the  reason  would  lay  down  for  the 
government  of  the  architect,  under  this  head,  is  the  simple  and 
obvious  one,  that  the  material  should  appea/r  to  be  what  it  is. 
To  build  a  house  of  wood  so  exactly  in  imitation  of  stone  as 
to  lead  the  spectator  to  suppose  it  stone,  is  a  paltry  artifice,  at 
variance  with  all  truthfulness. 

When   we   employ  stone  as   a  building  material,  let  it  be 


36  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

clearly  expressed:  when  we  employ  wood,  there  should  be  no 
less  fi'ankness  in  avowing  the  material.  There  is  more  merit 
in  so  using  wood  as  to  give  to  it  the  utmost  expression  of 
which  the  substance  is  capable,  than  in  endeavoring  to  make 
it  look  like  some  other  material.* 

There  are  certain  architectural  fictions  with  regard  to 
apparent  ti'uthfulness  of  material,  which  are  so  well  imderstood 
as  not  to  deceive,  and  ai"e  not,  therefore,  reprehensible 
ones :  such  as  painting  the  surface  of  wooden,  and  cementing 
or  stuccoing  the  exteriors  of  brick  and  stone  houses.  Pro- 
tection from  the  weather  demands  this,  and  no  one  fails  to 
recognize  wood  or  solid  walls,  though  entirely  hidden  from  the 
eye.  And  in  the  case  of  stuccoed  walls,  the  expression  of 
strength  and  solidity  is  very  properly  conveyed  to  the  eye  by 
marking  it  off  in  com-ses,  to  denote  the  bonds  and  courses  of 
the  solid  wall  beneath,  and  to  take  away  the  mere  lath-and- 
plaster  look,  of  a  plain  stuccoed  wall.  To  mark  off  in  courses 
a  house  actually  built  of  lath  and  stucco,  as  we  have  sometimes 
seen  done,  is,  on  the  other  hand,  a  dowTiright  violation  of 
architectural  truth.  Fur  the  same  reason  we  would  prefer 
to  see  the  stuccoed  exterior  of  a   brick  wall   marked  faintly, 


*  Perhaps  an  exception  nitiy  be  allowed  in  the  case  of  wooden  verandas,  and  such 
light  additions  to  buildings  of  solid  materials  as  we  often  see  added  in  this  country, 
in  districts  where  the  stone  is  so  hard  as  to  be  very  costly  wlien  wrought  into 
small  parts,  so  that  wood  is  often  used,  but  is  so  painted  and  sanded  as  to  harmonize 
with  tlie  stone.  In  tiiis  case,  we  say,  the  apparent  untruthfulness  is  permissible,  for  the 
sake  of  a  j)rinciple  almost  equally  important — unity  of  effect ;  for  nothing  is  more 
offensive  to  the  eye  than  an  avowed  union  of  wood  and  stone  in  the  same  building. 
But,  of  course,  this  is  a  sacrifice  to  expediency ;  and  the  more  truthful  treatment, 
viz.  making  all  j>ortions  of  one  material,  is  the  only  entirely  satisfactory  one. 


THE  REAL  MEANING  OF   AKCHITECTmRE.  37 

in  small  courses,  so  as  to  denote  that  brick  is  the  material  of  the 
wall,  rather  than  boldly  in  large  com-ses,  to  signify  stone.  There 
is  no  reason  why  the  stucco  w^hich  only  stands  for  stucco,  should 
not  have  an  agreeable  color,  wholly  different  from  those  of  the 
brick  and  stone  put  beneath  it  (because  it  is  only  when  stone 
or  brick  is  not  altogether  satisfactory  to  the  eye,  that  we  cover 
it  with  stucco) ;  but  the  principle  of  truth  should  lead  us  to 
point  out,  by  the  lines  on  the  stucco,  whether  it  covei-s  a  stone 
or  brick  wall.* 

There  is  a  glaring  want  of  truthfulness  sometimes  practised 
in  this  country  by  ignorant  builders,  that  deserves  condemna- 
tion at  all  times.  This  is  seen  in  the  attempt  to  express  a  style 
of  architectm'e,  which  demands  massiveness,  weight,  and  solidity, 
in  a  material  that  possesses  none  of  these  qualities.  We  could 
point  to  two  or  three  of  these  imitations  of  Gothic  castles,  with 
towers  and  battlements  built  of  wood.  Nothing  can  well  be 
more  paltry  and  contemptible.  The  sugar  castles  of  confec- 
tioners and  pasti-y-cooks  are  far  more  admirable  as  works  of 
art.  K  a  man  is  ambitious  of  atti-actiug  attention  by  his  house, 
and  can  only  afford  wood,  let  him  (if  he  can  content  himself 
with  nothing  appropriate)  build  a  gigantic  wigwam  of  logs  and 
bark,  or  even  a  shingle  palace,  but  not  attempt  mock  battle- 

*  Marking  off  stucco  to  indicate  a  stone  wall,  is  the  common  and  prevalent  mode 
in  this  country ;  though  we  have  never  seen  brick  expressed  as  we  have  suggested. 
This  might  be  most  easily  and  effectually  done  by  pressing  a  mould,  marked  with 
lines,  upon  the  face  of  the  stucco,  as  soon  as  it  is  put  on  the  wall.  Patterns  of 
various  kinds  were  thus  stamped  upon  the  walls  in  Moorish  architecture,  with  beau- 
tiful effect.  The  lines  would  always  express  that  the  wall  beneath  was  of  brick  ; 
but  they  should  be  only  faintly  impressed,  and  not  deeply  stamped,  and  without  the 
mortar  lines  whitened  so  as  to  imitate  brick. 


38  CX)UNTKY   HOUSES. 

ments  of  pine  boards,  and  strong  towers  of  thin  plank.  The 
imposition  attempted,  is  more  than  even  the  most  mieducated 
pei-son  of  native  sense  can  possibly  bear. 

As  we  shall  develope,  Kttle  by  little,  our  views  on  these  and 
other  points  already  suggested,  in  our  remarks  on  the  different 
classes  of  houses,  and  the  designs  themselves,  in  the  succeeding 
pages,  we  shall  not  pursue  these  introductory  remarks  further 
at  the  present  time. 

"We  have,  as  we  trust,  abeady  clearly  impressed  upon  the 
reader  the  three  principal  sources  of  interest  in  all  architecture, 
and  especially  in  domestic  architecture.  We  have  shown  how  a 
house  may  be  useful  without  being  beautiful ;  how  it  may  be 
useful  and  beautiful  without  being  satisfactory  to  the  under- 
standing ;  and  how  it  may  be  useful,  beautiful,  and  significant 
or  truthful,  and  thus  thereby  satisfy  us  fully  and  completely — 
satisfy  all  the  rational  desires  of  the  senses,  the  affections,  and 
the  intellect. 

K  it  faU  short  of  this,  it  is  not  architectm-e  in  the  tioie  sense 
of  the  word — for  as  another  writer  has  well  observed,  every 
fine  art  is  the  art  of  so  treating  objects  as  to  give  them  a  moral 
significance ;  and  imless  the  architect  can  stamp  both  feeling 
and  imagination,  as  weU  as  utility,  upon  his  work,  he  cannot 
truly  be  called  an  architect. 


WHAT   A   COTTAGE   SHOULD    BE.  39 


SECTION  II. 

WHAT  A  COTTAGE  SHOULD  BE. 

IsEAiiLT  all  the  varieties  of  country  houses  in  the  United 

States  may  be  considered  as  belonging  to  three  classes — Cot- 
tages, Fakm-Houses,  and  Villas.  As  each  of  these  kinds  of 
dwelling  demands  its  peculiar  accommodation  or  aiTangement, 
and  is  bounded  by  certain  limits  as  to  si^e  and  cost ;  as  it  has, 
or  ought  to  have,  its  peculiar  character  of  beauty  in  form  and 
expression,  and  its  peculiar  truthfulness  or  adaptation  to  the 
purpose  intended,  it  is  plain  that  no  architect  can  successfully 
design  either  Cottages,  Farm-Houses,  or  Villas,  unless  he 
Imows  the  wants  and  the  means,  the  domestic  life  and  the  enjoy- 
ments, the  intelligence  and  the  tastes,  of  those  who  are  to 
occupy  these  different  kinds  of  dwellings. 

Now  a  cottage^  according  to  Dr.  Johnson,  is  a  smaU  house. 
It  is  not,  necessarily,  something  with  low  walls  and  steep  roof; 
something  covered  with  thatched  roof  or  ornamented  with 
many  gables.  It  is  a  house  of  limited  accommodation,  and, 
above  all,  of  very  moderate  size  as  compared  with  other  houses. 
Hence,  a  cottage,  in  a  country  where  the  dwellings  are  all  of 
very  large  size,  would  be  a  larger  building  than  in  another, 
where  the  majority  of  the  dwellings  are  only  of  moderate 
dimensions.    In  England,   a  house  is  often  called  a  cottage 


40  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

which  would  liere  be  called  a  villa,  and  the  reverse,  because 
the  gi'eat  nize  of  many  mansions  in  Kngland,  leads  Englishmen 
to  call  all  Country  lupuses  of  moderate  size  and  cottage-like 
appearance,  cottages — even  though  they  may  contain  fit^y 
apartments,  with  all  the  luxury  of  a  firet-rate  \illa.  These  are, 
in  fact,  only  villas  built  in  cottage  style. 

What  we  mean  by  a  cottage,  in  this  coimtry,  is  a  dwelling  of 
small  si^e,  intended  for  the  occupation  of  a  family,  either  wholly 
managing  the  household  cares  itself,  or,  at  the  most,  with 
the  assistance  of  one  or  two  servants.  Tlie  majority  of  such 
cottages  in  this  country  are  occupied,  not  by  tenants,  depend- 
ants, or  serfs,  as  in  many  parts  of  Eiu'ope,  but  by  industi'ious 
and  intelligent  mechanics  and  working  men,  the  bone  and 
sinev?  of  the  land,  who  own  the  ground  upon  which  they  stand, 
build  them  for  their  own  use,  and  arrange  them  to  satisfy  their 
own  peculiar  wants  and  gratify  their  oa\ti  tastes. 

It  is,  therefore,  as  clear  as  noonday,  that  cottages  of  this 
class  should  be  an-auged  with  a  dift'erent  view,  both  as  regards 
utility  and  beauty,  from  either  farm-houses  or  villas.  An  indus- 
trious num,  who  earns  his  bread  by  daily  exertions,  and  lives 
in  a  snug  and  economical  little  home  in  the  suburbs  of  a  toNvn, 
has  very  different  wants  from  the  farmer,  whose  accommodation 
must  be  plain  but  more  spacious ;  or  the  man  of  easy  income, 
who  builds  a  villa  as  much  to  gratify  his  taste,  as  to  serve  the 
uecful  jnirposes  of  a  dwelling. 

We  Would  gladly  enforce  this  jioiut  in  the  outset,  because  it 
is  but  too  j)lainly  demonstrated  that  many  of  the  worst  failures 
in  cottages  all  over  the  country,  have  arisen  fr(»m  a  want  of 
appreciation  oi'  tntt/tfidm'^s  of  charaeter  in  Rural  Architecture. 
Any  intrinsic  ditlerence  between  the  cottage,  the  farm-house,  or 


WHAT   A   CO'lTAGE   SHOULD   BE.  41 

the  villa,  between  a  dwelling  for  one  family  of  simple  habits  and 
limited  means,  and  another,  ^Vhose  tastes  and  habits  of  life  are 
as  complex  as  their  means  are  more  abundant,  seems  to  be 
entirely  unrecognized.  The  cottage  is  not  made  to  express,  as 
much  as  possible,  the  simplicity  of  cottage  life,  joined  with 
the  greatest  comfort,  intelligence,  and  taste  of  which  that  life  is 
capable,  but  to  imitate  as  closely  as  cheap  and  flimsy  materials 
and  a  few  hundi-ed  dollars  will  permit,  the  style  and  elaborate 
ornament  of  the  villa,  with  its  expenditure  of  thousands. 

There  are  two  striking  illustrations  of  this  false  taste  to  be 
found  in  various  parts  of  the  countiy  at  the  present  moment — 
what  may  be  called  the  temple  cottage  and  the  cocked-liat  cottage. 

The  temple  cottage  is  an  imitation  of  the  Temples  of  Theseus 
or  Minerva,  in  thin  pine  boards,  with  a  wonderfully  fine  and 
classical  portico  of  wooden  columns  in  front.  The  dimensions 
of  the  whole  building  may  be  20  by  30  feet.  The  grand 
portico  covers,  perhaps,  a  third  of  the  space  and  the  means  con- 
sumed by  the  whole  dwelling.  It  is  not  of  the  least  utility, 
because  it  is  too  high  for  shade ;  nor  is  it  in  the  least  satisfac- 
tory, for  it  is  entirely  destitute  of  tnithfulness :  it  is  only  a 
caricature  of  a  temple — not  a  beautiful  cottage. 

The  cocked-hat  cottage  is,  perhaps,  a  little  better,  for  it  is  an 
imitative  exaggeration,  not  a  dowm-ight  caricature.  This 
species  of  cottage  has  grown  out  of  an  admiration  for  the  real 
and  intrinsic  beauty  of  the  rm*al-Gothic  cottage,  of  which 
gables  are  strongly  characteristic  features.  But  some  unedu- 
cated builders,  imagining  that  the  whole  secret  of  designing  a 
cottage  in  the  Gothic  style,  lies  in  providing  gables,  have  so 
overdone  the  matter,  that,  turn  to  which  side  of  their  houses  we 
will,  nothing  but  gables   salutes   our    eyes.     A  great    many 


42  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

gables  in  tlie  front  c»f  a  Gothic  villa  of  large  size  may  have  a 
good  effect ;  but  to  stick  thcni  in  the  front  of  a  cottage  of  25 
feet  front,  and,  not  content  -svith  this,  to  repeat  them  everywhere 
else  upon  the  roof  wliere  a  gable  can  possibly  be  perched, 
is  only  to  give  the  cottage  the  appearance,  as  the  familiar 
saying  goes,  of  having  been  "  knocked  into  a  cocked  hat."  A 
journey  among  the  attic  sleeping-rooms  of  such  a  cottage  is 
like  that  geogi-aphical  exploration  of  the  peaks  of  all  the 
highest  mountains,  made  by  beginners,  in  the  corner  of  a  map 
of  the  world. 

Another  serious  objection  to  this  imitation  of  the  elaborate 
architcctm-e  of  villas  in  small  cottages,  is  the  impossibility  of 
executing  the  ornamental  parts-  in  a  proper  manner.  Take,  for 
example,  the  mrge^oard  of  a  rural-Gothic  gable.  As  part  of  a 
well-built  villa,  this  verge-board  is  carefully  carved  in  thick 
and  solid  plank,  so  as  to  exhibit  all  the  details  of  outline  and 
tracery  boldly  to  the  eye,  and  so  as  to  endure  as  long  as  the 
house  itself.  Now  let  this  be  imitated  in  a  cheap  cottage,  and 
it  is  almost  always  sa^\^l  out  of  thin  board,  so  as  to  have  a 
frippery  and  "gingerbread"  look  which  degrades,  rather  than 
elevates,  the  beauty  of  the  cottage.  It  is  useless  to  talk  about 
carving  it  as  well  for  the  cottage  as  for  the  \411a,  because  it 
would  cost  more  than  cottage  decorations  shoidd  cost,  and 
because,  if  other  parts  of  the  cottage  were  not  brought  up  to 
the  same  point  of  style  and  execution,  the  verge-boards  would 
be  inconsistent  and  out  of  keeping.* 


*  Tlie  only  cxcoptions  to  these  remarks,  are  cottages  built  as  gate-lodges  or 
gardeners'  houses  on  gentlemen's  estates,  where  every  other  part  is  in  still  higher 
style  ;  because  in  this  case,  the  life  and  tasto  uf  the  tenant  is  not  so  much  indicated  as 


WHAT  A  COTTAGE  SHOULD  BE.  4S 

In  each  of  the  three  classes  of  countiy  houses,  there  is  a 
predominant  character,  to  which  all  other  expressions,  whether 
of  beauty,  usefulness,  or  tnith,  should  be  referred.  In  cottages, 
this  predominant  character  is  simplicity.  It  ought,  accordingly, 
to  pervade  every  portion  of  cottage  architectm*e.  There 
should  be  a  convenient  simplicity  of  aiTangement,  to  facilitate 
the  simple  manner  of  living;  an  economical  simplicity  of 
construction,  to  suit  the  moderate  means  of  the  builder  or 
owner;  and  a  tasteful  simplicity  of  decoration,  to  harmonize 
with  the  character  of  the  dwelling  and  its  occupants. 

All  ornaments  which  are  not  simple,  and  cannot  be  executed 
in  a  substantial  and  appropriate  manner,  should  be  at  once 
rejected ;  all  flimsy  and  meager  decorations  which  have  a 
pasteboard  effect,  are  as  unworthy  of,  and  unbecoming  for  the 
house  of  him  who  understands  the  true  beauty  of  a  cottage  life, 
as  glass  breastpins  or  gilt-pewter  spoons  would  be  for  his 
personal  ornaments  or  family  service  of  plate. 

As  much  taste,  as  much  beauty,  as  can  be  combined  with  the 
comparatively  simple  habits  of  cottage  life,  are  truly  admii*able 
and  delightful  in  a  cottage.  But  every  thing  beyond  this, 
every  thing  only  imitated,  every  thing  that  is  false,  forced  or 
foreign  to  the  real  feelings  or  intelligence  of  the  inmates,  is  not 
worthy  of  the  least  approbation  in  a  cottage. 

"We  do  not  mean  by  this  to  say  that  it  is  impossible  to  build 
a  highly  ornamented  cottage  which  shall  be  in  good  taste — 
what  novel  writers  delight  to  caU  "  a  perfect  bijou  of  a  house." 


the  life  and  taste  of  the  landlord  and  proprietor.  But  even  in  this  case,  the  highest 
taste  will  lead  to  the  rejection  of  all  elaborate  ornament  in  cottages,  as  not  directly 
truthful  and  expressive. 


44  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

Tlic  tbinpj  is  quite  jjossible;  ]»ut  it  must  either  be  a  cottage  as 
a  plaything  fur  wealthy  people,  not  for  them  to  live  in,  or  it 
must  be  a  villa  disguised  in  cottage  f<>rm,  and  not  a  tnie 
cottage;  that  is  to  say,  a  small  house  for  a  simple  manner  of 
living.  You  may  cover  such  a  small  house  with  very  beautiful 
ornamental  work  if  you  please,  but  its  beauty  will  not  bo 
satisfactory  to  the  reason,  because  it  is  not  expressive  of  the 
life  of  its  inmates,  and  because,  therefore,  it  is  destitute  of 
truthfulness  or  significance ;  and  the  human  mind  is  so  consti- 
tuted, that  the  beautiful  must  overlay  the  tnie,  to  give  perma- 
nent satisfaction. 

Admitting  the  justness  of  this  proposition,  we  may  state  it  as 
the  highest  principle  in  designing  or  building  a  cottage,  that  it 
should  be  tnithfiil,  that  is,  it  should  clearly  express  the  modesty 
and  simplicity  of  cottage  life.  Hence,  not  only  should  the 
cottage  aim  to  look  like  a  cottage,  but  it  should  avoid  all 
pretension  to  what  it  cannot  honestly  and  faithfully  be.  And 
as  its  oliject  is  first  utility,  and  then  beauty,  the  useful  should 
never  be  sacrificed  to  the  ornamental,  but  the  latter  should 
more  obviously  be  connected  with,  and  grow  out  of  the  former, 
in  a  cottage  than  in  a  more  elaborate  dwelling. 

Among  the  fii*st  principles  of  utility  in  building  or  designing 
a  cottage,  we  may  state  the  following : 

Tlie  principal  entrance  or  front  door  should  never  open 
directly  into  an  apartment  of  any  kind,  but  always  into  a  porch, 
lobby,  or  entry  of  some  kind.  Such  a  passage  not  only  protects 
the  apartment  against  sudden  draughts  of  air,  but  it  also  protects 
the  privacy  and  dignity  of  the  inmates. 

Tlie  roof  should  always  be  steep  enough  to  carry  off  the 
snow  freely,  and  there  should  be  means  of  ventilation  provided. 


WHAT  A  COTTAGE  SHOULD  BE.  45 

in  order  to  eecure  comfort  in  the  upper  sleeping  apart- 
ments.* 

The  level  of  the  first  floor  should  never  be  less  than  one  foot 
above  the  level  of  the  surrounding  smface  of  the  ground,  to 
secure  dryness. 

In  all  small  cottages  the  kitchen  should  always  be  on  the  first 
floor,  because,  in  such  dwellings,  the  kitchen  must  be  kept 
under  the  eye  of  the  mistress.  The  only  excepti;.jn  to  this 
would  be  in  cases  where  the  cost  of  additional  service,  and  the 
inconvenience  of  ascending  and  descending  stairs  are  of  less 
consequence  than  the  additional  room  gained  at  a  certain  first 
cost  in  building. 

In  all  cottages  constnicted  of  brick  or  stone  (when  the  walls 
are  not  built  hollow),  the  inside  (lath  and  plaster)  walls  should 
be  "  firred  off","  to  prevent  dampness. 

In  all  cottages  built  of  wood,  in  the  colder  portions  of  the 
country,  there  should  either  be  a  double  weather-boarding,  as  is 
common  in  New  England,  or  the  space  between  the  weather- 
boarding  and  the  inside  should  be  "  filled  in  "  with  cheap  brick, 
as  is  common  in  the  Middle  States.  Or,  when  the  latter  is  too 
expensive,  unbumt  bricks,  of  clay  and  straw,  may  be  used 
instead.  The  warmth  of  the  cottage  in  winter  and  its  coolness 
in  summer  are  so  greatly  increased  by  this  trifling  additional 
cost,  that  it  should  never  be  neglected  in  the  Northern  States. 
In  endeavoring  to  give  beauty  to  cottages,  the  following  prin- 
ciples must  be  remembered : 

Firet,  that,  as  beauty  of  outline  (absolute  beauty)  belongs  to 
the  simplest  as  well  as  to  the  most  complex  outlines,  where 

*  We  shall  explain  the  best  mode  of  ventilating  in  a  succeeding  paga 


46  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

beauty  of  decoration  or  ornamental  members  does  not  agree 
with  Bimplicity,  the  former  is  mainly  and  especially  to  be 
employed  in  cottage  architecture.  Hence  regularity,  unifor- 
mity, proportion,  eymmetr}-,  are  beauties  of  which  every  cottage 
is  capable,  because  they  are  entirely  consistent  with  the  simple 
foi-ms  of  the  cottage,  while  irregularity  and  variety  are  usually 
possible,  with  good  effect,  in  a  dwelling  of  larger  size,  and 
consisting  of  a  great  number  of  parts.  Small  cottages  can 
scarcely  be  very  irregular  in  form  and  outline,  unless  they  are 
built  in  highly  picturesque  situations,  such  as  a  moimtain- 
valley,  or  a  wooded  glen,  when  they  form  part  of  the  iiTcgular 
whole  about  them,  rather  than  single  objects,  as  is  usually  the 
case. 

As  a  cottage  may  have  all  the  l)eauty  which  results  from 
proportion  and  symmetry,  without  adding  a  farthing  to  its  cost, 
and  without  detracting  in  the  least  from  its  simplicity  and 
truthfulness,  it  is  evident  that  these  two  elements  should  be 
considered  before  any  ornaments  are  introduced.  Not  only 
should  the  general  outlines  be  well  proportioned  and  symmet- 
rical, but  also  the  forms  of  all  the  smaller  portions — such  as 
doors,  windows,  chimneys,  etc. 

When  the  means  of  the  builder  enable  him  to  go  beyond 
these  simple  beauties  of  form,  his  first  thought,  on  elevating  the 
expression  of  the  cottage,  should  be  to  add  ornament  to  the 
most  uuportant  parts  of  the  dwelling.  Tliese  are  the  entrance 
door,  the  principal  windows,  the  gables,  and  the  chimneys. 
The  front  door  and  the  principal  or  firet  floor  windows  should 
be  recognized  as  something  more  than  mere  openings,  by  lintels, 
hoods,  or  bordci*8  (dressings) ;  the  gables  by  being  very  simply 
moulded  or  bracketed  about  the  junction  with  the  roof;   the 


WHAT  A  COTTAGE   SHOULD   BE.  47 

chimneys,  by  a  pleasing  form  or  simple  ornaments,  or  merely 
by  having  the  usual  clmnsy  mass  lightened  and  separated  into 
parts. 

After  this,  the  next  step  is  to  add  something  to  the  expression 
of  domestic  enjoyment  in  cottage  life — such  as  a  simple  porch, 
or  veranda,  or  simple  bay-window.  A  much  higher  character 
is  conferred  on  a  simple  cottage  by  a  veranda  than  by  a 
highly  ornamented  gable,  because  one  indicates  the  constant 
means  of  enjoyment  for  the  inmates — something  in  their  daily 
life  besides  ministering  to  the  necessities — while  a  more  orna- 
mental verge-board  shows  something,  the  beauty  of  which  is 
not  so  directly  connected  with  the  life  of  the  owner  of  the 
cottage,  and  which  is  therefore  less  expressive,  as  well  as  less 
useful. 

After  all  these  elements  of  beauty  are  attained  in  the  cottage 
(in  any  style  of  architecture),  one  ought  to  pause  before 
attempting  much  more  ornament  or  architectural  decoration. 
Beyond  this  it  is  difficult  to  go  without  endangering  simplicit}'^, 
and  it  is  therefore  difficult  to  lay  down  any  other  rales  than  the 
following : 

Kever  introduce  in  a  cottage  any  elaborate  or  complex  orna- 
ment (however  beautiful  intrinsically  or  in  higher  architecture) 
which  is  not  entirely  consistent  with  that  simple,  truthful 
character  which  is  the  greatest  source  of  pleasui-e  in  Cottage 
Architecture. 

ISTever  attempt  any  ornamental  portions  in  a  cottage,  which 
cannot  be  executed  in  a  substantial  and  proper  manner,  so  that 
the  effect  of  beauty  of  design  may  not  be  weakened  by  imper- 
fect execution  or  flimsy  materials. 

As  the  effect  of  Rural  Architecture  is  never  a  thing  to  be 


48  COUNTRY  IIOUBES. 

considered  wholly  by  itself,  but,  on  the  contrary,  as  it  always 
depends  partly  upon,  and  is  associated  with,  rural  scenery, 
trees,  shrubbery,  and  vines,  we  should  not,  as  many  architects 
do,  wholly  overlook  the  aid  of  such  accessories.  Cottage 
Architecture,  especially,  borrows  the  most  winning  and  capti- 
vating expression  from  foliage.  K  we  analyze  the  charm  of  a 
larjrc  jnirt  of  the  iTu-al  cottages  of  England — the  finest  in  the 
world — we  shall  iind,  that  strip  them  of  the  wealth  of  flowing 
vines  that  adom  them,  and  their  peculiar  poetry  and  feeling  have 
more  than  lialf  departed.  And,  since  no  architectural  decora- 
tions, however  beautiful  or  costly,  can  give  the  same  charm  of 
truthful  decoration  to  a  cottage,  as  flowering  vines  and  creepers, 
we  shall,  in  another  page,  point  out  the  most  hardy,  valuable, 
and  beautiful  species  for  this  purpose. 


ON   MATERIAIJS   Mm   MODES   OF   CONSTRUCTION.  49 


SECTION   III. 
ON  MATERIALS  AND  MODES  OF  CONSTRUCTION. 

The  three  materials  in  most  common  use  for  country  houses 
are  wood,  brick,  and  stone. 

In  an  architectural  point  of  view,  solid  materials  are  so  far 
superior  to  all  others,  that  where  it  is  not  a  question  of  cost,  no 
one  should  hesitate  for  a  moment  in  his  decision  of  what 
material  to  build.  The  finest  architecture  should  as  certainly 
be  of  stone  as  the  finest  sculptm-e,  because  in  a  work  of  art 
any  thing  which  conveys  the  idea  of  eternal  duration,  adds 
incalculably  to  its  efiects  upon  the  reason,  though  the  effect 
upon  the  feelings  may  otherwise  be  equal.  A  beautiful  statue, 
carved  in  wood,  is  far  less  satisfactory  than  the  same  statue 
in  marble,  even  leaving  out  of  the  question  the  greater  triumph 
of  art  and  the  greater  heauty  of  fomi  in  the  latter  material. 

To  say  nothing,  then,  of  the  additional  dm'ability  and  beauty 
of  solid  materials,  the  mere  saving  of  after  expense  and  trouble 
should  be  sufficient  argument  to  induce  the  proprietor  of  a 
superior  villa  to  use  brick  or  stone  in  its  construction. 

But,  in  a  cottage,  economy  must  be  a  leading  consideration 
Hence,  in  many  parts  of  a  countiy  in  which  timber  is  so  abun 
dant  as  in  this,  a  large  proportion  of  all  the  cottages  must  be 


50  CXJUNTRY  HOUSES. 

built  of  wood.  It  is,  theref(*»re,  wiser  for  an  architect  to 
endeavor  to  give  a  tasteful  and  appropriate  character  to 
wooden  cottages,  than  to  leave  them  without  the  pale  of  archi- 
tectural ingenuity.  We  greatly  prefer  a  cottage  of  brick  or 
rough  stone  (painted  or  colored  with  a  wash)  to  one  of  M^ood ; 
but,  since  the  want  of  the  majority  is  for  plans  for  wooden 
cottages,  we  shall  submit  a  variety  of  such  plans,  and  must 
therefore  say  something  of  the  best  modes  of  constnicting 
them. 

Vertical  Boarding.  There  are  two  modes  of  constructing 
the  exteriors  of  wooden  houses,  now  generally  practised.  The 
most  common  mode  is  that  of  covering  the  frame  on  the  out- 
side with  boards  or  narrow  siding  in  horizontal  strips;  the 
other  is,  to  cover  it  with  boards  nailed  on  in  vertical  strips  (up 
and  down).  In  the  horizontal  hoarding^  the  weather  is  kept 
out  of  the  joint  by  the  upper  board  overlapping  the  under 
one;  in  the  vertical  hoarding^  it  is  kept  out  by  a  narrow  strip, 
called  a  hatten^  about  two  mches  wide,  which  is  nailed  over 
the  joint  fonned  by  the  meeting  of  the  two  boards. 

To  enable  the  reader  to  underetand  this  mode  of  construc- 
tion, we  refer  him  to  the  profile  or  section,  Fig.  1,  A.  In  this, 
a,  J,  c,  are  two  boards  tongued  and  grooved,  and  nailed,  side  by 
side,  in  an  upright  position,  to  form  the  outside  of  the  house ; 
d  represents  the  batten  nailed  directly  over  tlie  joint,  and  com- 
pletely protecting  the  edges  of  the  board  from  the  action  of  the 
weather.  In  A,  is  shown  {d)  the  usual  form  (diminished)  of 
those  battens  suitable  for  chea})  cottages  or  outbuildings.  B 
and  C  are  other  forms  of  battens  (of  the  exact  size),  rendered 
somewhat  more  ornamental  by  being  moulded  on  the  edges, 
and  are  frequently  used  in  more  important  wooden  buildings. 


ON   MATERIALS   AND  MODES   OF   CONSTRUCTION. 


51 


If  these  battens  are  made  of  "  good  clear  stuiF,"  they  will  last 
as  long  as  the  house  does. 


M.^$MS^>m^^^$$^x<$ss^&^m^^^<$^^ 


»;   .   ,1* 


[Fig.  1.    Vertical  Boarding  with  different  forms  of  Battens.] 

We  greatly  prefer  the  vertical  to  the  horizontal  boarding,  not 
only  because  it  is  more  durable,  but  because  it  has  an  expres- 
sion of  sti-ength  and  ti'uthfulness  which  the  other  has  not.  The 
main  timbers  which  enter  into  the  frame  of  a  wooden  house 
and  support  the  structure,  are  vertical,  and  hence  the  vertical 
boarding  properly  signifies  to  the  eye  a  wooden  house ;  in  the 
same  manner,  the  main  weight  of  a  stone  or  brick  house  is 
supported  by  walls  laid  in  courses,  and  hence  the  truthlulness 
of  showing  horizontal  courses  in  brick  or  stone  buildings.     It  is 


52  COUNTRY  HOUSKS. 

as  incoiTect,  so  far  as  regards  trutlit'uliK'Ss  <•!"  constiiietion,  to 
show  liorizontal  lines  on  the  weather-boarding  of  a  wooden 
house,  as  it  would  be  to  mark  vertical  lines  on  the  outside  of  a 
brick  or  stuccoed  wall. 

Besides  this,  there  is  not  only  greater  economy  in  vertical 
boardinir,  but,  beinff  a  bolder  mode  of  construction,  it  better 
expresses  the  picturesque — a  kind  of  beauty  essentially  belong- 
ing to  wooden  houses.  Thin  "siding"  (i.  e.  the  small  boards 
half  an  inch  thick  and  six  inches  wide,  known  by  this  name) 
requires  a  gi-eat  deal  of  labor  bestowed  in  planing  and  fitting  up, 
and  it  aims  at  a  very  highly  finished  and  polished  character — 
one  which  we  think  it  fails  in  reaching,  because  that  character 
does  not  legitimately  belong  to  wood — though  marble  or 
freestone  may  be  smoothed  and  polished  in  classical  buildings 
with  the  happiest  effect. 

For  all  wooden  cottages,  therefore,  we  recommend  weather- 
boarding  of  sound  inch  or  inch  and  a  quarter  pine,  tongued  and 
grooved  at  the  edges,  nailed  on  in  the  vertical  manner,  and 
covered  with  neat  battens.  The  base,  or  plinth  of  the  house, 
upon  wliicli  these  battens  finish  at  the  bottom,  should  be  formed 
by  a  horizontal  jilaiik  an  incli  more  in  thickness  (as  is  shown 
in  all  the  following  designs) ;  and  the  boards  and  battens  may 
either  be  continued  till  they  meet  the  under  side  of  the  roof 
(which  answei^s  in  the  case  <^f  most  cottages),  or  they  may 
stop  against  a  plank  of  the  same  thickness  as  the  base  which 
runs  along  under  the  eaves,  forming  a  frieze  or  wall-plate 
covering. 

In  New  England,  aii<l  other  parts  of  the  coimtiy  where 
liiMd>er  is  cheai)er  than  ])ricks,  a  wooden  house  is  rendered 
warm    and    coinfortabh*    bv  a  doultle  thickTiess  of  boards.     A 


ON   MATERIALS   AND   MODES   OF  CONSTRUCTION.  63 

lining  of  rough  hoards  is  first  nailed  upon  the  outside  of  the 
frame,  so  as  to  fomi  a  plain  surface,  and  the  weather-boarding 
or  siding,  which  forms  the  outside  of  the  house,  is  nailed  upon 
this  rough  boarding. 

In  all  the  better  houses  built  in  this  way  a  coat  of  plaster  is 
also  laid  upon  the  iiuids  of  this  rough  boarding — which  latter, 
as  it  is  imeven  on  its  sm-face,  and  as  it  does  not  quite  meet  at 
the  edges,  may  be  considered  a  sort  of  stout  lathing — thus 
forming  an  exterior  protection  of  two  thicknesses  of  boards 
and  one  of  plaster.  As  tlie  inside  wall  of  the  house  forms 
another  separate  wall  of  lath  and  plaster,  there  is  a  hollow 
space,  of  several  inches,  left  between  the  two  plaster  walls,  and 
the  house  is  thus  rendered  a  wann  one. 

But  this  mode  is  not  so  satisfactory  as  that  adopted  in  the 
middle  states,  called  "  filling-in." 

FnxiNG-iN.  The  best  mode  of  making  such  wooden  houses 
comfortable  and  wann  is,  to  "  fill  in "  a  com-se  of  any  cheap 
bi-icks  from  top  to  bottom  of  the  whole  frame.  This  will  make 
a  wall  fom*  inches  thick  between  the  weather-boarding  and  the 
lath  and  plastering  of  the  rooms.  Tlie  cheapest  mortar,  made 
with  a  small  proportion  of  lime,  is  used  for  this  filling-in ;  and, 
as  much  nicety  is  not  required,  the  work  is  very  rapidly 
performed. 

In  cottages  and  cheap  country  houses  where  economy  is  an 
important  consideration,  it  is  the  practice  here,  in  filling-in, 
both  to  place  the  bricks  on  edge.,  and  to  build  them  jiush  with 
the  inside  of  the  timbers  or  studs  (or  rather  projecting  a 
quarter  of  an  inch  forward).  This  leaves  a  hollow  space 
between  the  weather^oa/rd'mg  and  the  brick  waU,  of  several 
inches,  and  it  enables  the  plasterer  to  dispense  with  lathing. 


54  corNTKY  HOUSES. 

He  plasters  directly  on  the  inner  face  of  the  filling-iu,  and,  to 
make  the  plaster  adhere  finnly  to  the  timber,  the  plasterer 
"hacks"  or  chips  the  inner  6ui*face  of  the  studs,  joists,  etc., 
so  as  to  make  them  rough  before  plastering.  We  find  tliat 
with  timber  tolerably  seasoned,  this  makes  a  satisfactory 
interior  Mali  ibr  cottages,  at  a  very  moderate  cost. 

In  the  case  of  villas,  or  more  thoroughly  built  coimtry 
houses,  the  filling-in  is  executed  by  laying  the  bricks  fl{i% 
Betting  back  the  inner  face  of  the  bricks  aboijt  an  inch  behind 
the  inner  face  of  the  studs,  and  then  lathing  on  studs  or  lirring 
for  the  plastered  wall.  Tliis  leaves  a  hollow  space  on  each 
side  of  the  brick  filling-in,  the  largest  vacuity  being  between 
the  bricks  and  the  weather-boarding.  Tlie  result  is  a  dry, 
warm,  and  substantial  house. 

Slight  wall-strips  (pieces  of  rough  boards  of  the  w'idth  of  the 
brick  work)  are  nailed  across  from  stud  to  stud,  eveiy  five  or 
six  courses,  to  strengthen  the  wall.  Only  the  cheapest  kind  of 
bricks,  such  as  are  technically  called  "  soft  bricks,"  are  used  for 
filling-in. 

In  districts  of  country  where  bricks  are  not  easily  in'ocured, 
the  cottager  may  use  uribii'i'nt  bricks  for  filling-in,  and  may 
have  them  at  very  ti'iflmg  cost  by  making  thcni  himself. 

Any  ordinary  clay  will  answer  for  this  ])urposo.  It  should, 
if  dry,  first  be  moistened  and  thoroughly  worked  by  oxen,  or 
pounded  by  hand  till  it  becomes  tough.  Tlien  add  some  straw, 
cut  about  six  inches  long,  and  mix  it  well  with  the  clay  by 
turning  it  over  repeatedly,  adding  a  little  water,  if  necessaiy. 
The  straw  increases  the  tenacity,  so  that  even  common  loamy 
soil  will  answei".  If  the  clay  is  naturally  a  good  brick  clay, 
straw  is  not  needed. 


ON   MATERIALS   AND   MODES   OF   CONSTRUCTION.  55 

A  mould  is  made  of  strong  planlv.  The  bricks  may  be  made 
of  any  convenient  size,  and  to  save  time  it  is  well  to  make 
them  considerably  larger  than  common  bricks — say  six  inches 
wide,  four  thick,  and  a  foot  long.  Tlie  mould  should  have  a 
bottom  not  quite  air-tight,  so  as  to  allow  the  bricks  to  be 
turned  out  without  sticking;  and  should  the  clay  be  very 
tenacious,  the  mould  may  be  dusted  with  dry  sand  before 
filling  in. 

The  mould  is  filled  with  the  tempered  clay  just  as  in 
moulding  common  bricks,  and  the  surplus  clay  is  cut  ofi' 
evenly  with  a  piece  of  iron  hoop.  With  two  moulds  one  man 
will  mould  as  rapidly  as  two  men  will  carry  away  and  lay  out 
for  di'ying.  The  bricks  are  laid  on  a  piece  of  level  ground, 
and  they  are  tuiTied  upon  the  other  edge  the  second  day.  In 
three  days  of  clear  weather,  they  will  be  sufficiently  dry  to  be 
piled  up  under  cover ;  there  they  should  lie  a  fortnight,  when 
they  are  fit  for  use. 

These  bricks  may,  in  filling-in,  be  laid  on  edge,  and  the  wall 
of  the  apartments  plastered  directly  upon  their  inner  face,  first 
making  the  face  of  the  studs  rough,  as  already  described.  In 
this  mode,  a  strong  and  durable  filling-in  is  obtained  at  a  very 
trifling  cost,  and  the  house  is  as  warm  as  one  with  solid  brick 
walls. 

Cottages  of  Unbuent  Bkick.  In  some  prairie  districts 
where  timber  and  stone  are  both  scarce,  the  walls  of  cottages 
and  farm  houses  are  frequently  built  whoUy  of  unburnt  brick. 

Mr.  Ellsworth,  the  late  Commissioner  of  Patents,  paid 
considerable  attention  to  the  construction  of  these  cottages, 
built  several  himself,  and  bears  the  strongest  testimony  to  their 
great  cheapness,  warmth,  and  durability. 


r>6  COUNTRY    HOUSES. 

We  compile  the  following  details,  comprising  every  thing 
essentia],  chiefly  from  his  report.  Almost  every  kind  of  clay 
will  answer;  it  is  tempered  by  treading  it  with  cattle,  and  cnt 
straw  is  added,  at  the  rate  of  two  bundles  of  straw  to  clay 
enough  for  one  hundrc(l  l)ricks.  It  is  then  ready  for  moulding. 
This  is  done  as  we  have  already  described,  except  that  it  is 
found  that  the  most  economical  size  for  the  bricks  for  building 
such  cottages  is  the  following,  \iz.  one  foot  long,  six  inches 
Avide,  and  four  inches  thick. 

The  cellar  or  foundation  must  l)e  fonned  of  stone  or  bmnit 
brick. 

In  damp  soils,  the  dampness  should  be  prevented  from 
rising  from  the  soil  into  the  unbunit  wall  by  laying  one  com-se 
of  slate,  or  of  bricks  laid  in  cement  or  hydraulic  mortar,  at  the 
top  of  the  foundation. 

The  walls  of  the  cottage  are  laid  up  one  foot  in  thickness,  of 
the  unburnt  brick.  Tliis  thickness  is  exactly  the  length  of  the 
brick,  or  the  width  of  two  bricks,  and  the  strongest  wall  is 
made  by  laying  the  work  with  alternate  courses  of  leaders  and 
stretchers  (i.  e.  one  coui-se  with  the  bricks  laid  across  the  wall, 
the  next  course  side  by  side).  A  weak  mortar  of  lime  and 
sand  is  generally  used  for  laying  the  l)ricks,  but  a  good  l^rick 
mortar  is  preferable.  Where  lime  is  scarce,  a  mortar 
composed  of  three  paits  clay,  one  i)art  sand,  and  two  j)art8 
wood  ashes,  answei-s  very  well  as  a  substitute  for  lime  mortar. 
Tlie  di\  ision  walls  may  be  six  inches  thick,  just  X\w  m  idtli  of 
the  brick ;  but,  wlu-n  the  cottage  has  rooms  wider  tlian  twelve 
feet,  it  is  better  to  nuike  the  first-story  partitions  two  bricks 
thick.  The  doors  and  M'indow  frames  being  ready  to  insert, 
the  cottage  is  vciy  rapidly  built.    These  frames  are  made  of 


ON    MATKRIAI^    A2^D    MUDKS   OF   CONSTRUCTION.  67 

stout  plank,  of  the  exact  thickness  of  the  walls,  so  that  the 
casing  inside  and  outside  helps  to  sti*eugtlien  the  wall  and 
covers  the  joints.  If  lintels  and  sills  of  stone  are  not  to  be  had, 
pieces  of  timber  three  inches  thick,  of  the  same  width  as  the 
wall,  and  a  foot  longer  on  each  side  than  the  opening,  may  be 
used  instead. 

The  roof  may  be  of  shingles  or  thatch,  and  it  is  indispen- 
sable in  a  cottage  of  unburnt  clay  that  it  should  project  two 
feet  all  round,  so  as  completely  to  guard  the  walls  from 
vertical  rains.  The  outside  of  the  wall  is  plastered  with  good 
lime  mortar  mixed  with  hah',  and  then  with  a  second  coat, 
pebble-dashed,  as  in  rough-cast  walls.  The  inside  of  the  wall 
is  plastered  and  whitewashed  in  the  common  way. 

Built  in  the  simple  way  of  the  prairies,  these  cottages  are 
erected  for  an  incredibly  small  sum,  costing  no  more  than  log 
houses,  while  they  are  far  more  durable  and  agreeable  in 
appearance. 

But  we  have  also  seen  highly  ornamental  cottages  built  of 
this  material,  the  bricks  made  entirely  by  the  hands  of  the 
owner  or  occupant,  and  the  whole  erected  at  a  cost  of  not 
inore  than  one  half  of  that  paid  for  the  same  cottage  built  in  an 
equally  comfortable  manner  of  wood  or  brick.  When  plas- 
tered or  rough-cast  on  the  exterior,  this  mode  of  construction 
presents  to  the  eye  the  same  effect  as  an  ordinary  stuccoed 
house,  while  it  is  warmer  and  far  less  costly  in  repaii-s  than 
any  other  cheap  material  is. 

The  walls  of  unburnt  brick  absorb  dampness  less  than  those 
which  have  been  bm-nt.  As  regards  the  durability  of  this 
material,  we  may  add  that  there  are  instances,  both  in  South 
America  and  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  of  cottages  and  fann 


58  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

houses,  more  than  two  centuries  old,  built  oi  pi«e  or  uubunit 
brick.  In  the  neigliborhood  of  Lyons,  many  of  the  })rettier 
viHas  ai'e  constructed  of  pise,  where  the  interiors  of  the  walls 
are  painted  in  fresco. 

Hollow  Wali^.  By  far  the  best  mode  of  building  brick- 
houses  is  that  of  constnicting  thcni  with  liollow  walls. 

The  ad\anta£res  of  hollow  brick  walls  over  solid  ones  of  the 
same  thickness,  are  the  following : 

Fii-st,  a  very  considerable  saving  in  the  quantity  of  bricks 
and  mortar  requu-ed. 

Secondly,  the  prevention  of  dampness,  which  always  strikes 
through  a  solid  wall,  and  more  or  less  aflects  the  apartments 
within,  miless  the  plastered  walls  of  the  rooms  avq  Ji^^red-off^  i.  e. 
separated  by  a  wooden  partition,  with  a  hollow  space,  from  the 
outer  solid  wall. 

Tliirdly,  the  saving  of  all  the  cost  of  lathing  and  studding  for 
the  interior  walls,  the  latter  being  plastered  directly  on  the 
inner  face  of  the  hollow  brick  wall. 

Lastly,  and  mainly,  in  the  great  sccuntij  qforded  against 
jure.  Four-fifths  of  our  houses  are  still  built  with  hollow 
wooden  partitions,  and  -walls  with  inside  fiiring.  The  inevi- 
table consequence  is,  that  when  a  fire  once  breaks  out,  it  spreads 
with  incredible  rajiidity  through  these  hollow  spaces  lined  with 
wood,  which  extend  from  basement  to  attic,  and  all  hope  of 
extinguishing  the  flames  is  at  once  abandoned.  On  the  other 
hand,  a  house  built  at  no  more  cost,  with  hdllow  brick  walls 
and  lirick  i>artitions,  is  nearly  fire-proof.  The  only  way  in 
which  the  flames  can  spread  rapidly  from  one  story  to  the  otlier 
is  by  means  of  the  staircase,  since  this  is  the  only  wooden 
j)ortion  that  reaches  from  one  story  to  the  other ;  and  hence,  in 


ON   MATEEIAI5  AND  M0DE8  OF   CONSTRUCTION.  59 

the  best  modern  villas,  the  staircase  is  made  of  iron  or  stone,  so 
as  to  be  fire-proof.  In  a  comitry  house  built  in  this  way,  nine 
times  out  of  ten,  a  fire  would  never  spread  beyond  the  room 
where  it  originated ;  and,  in  almost  all  cases,  it  could  be  extin- 
guished, with  but  little  efibrt,  by  the  inmates  alone,  since  all 
the  means  of  rapid  communication  actually  provided  in  the 
usual  and  most  careless  mode  of  building,  is  wanting  in  a  house 
built  with  hollow  walls. 

Hollow  walls  have  long  been  the  favorite  mode  of  construc- 
tion in  various  parts  of  Em-ope,  and  in  some  places  in  this 
countiy.  So  far  as  we  can  leani,  they  were  first  introduced 
here  by  the  late  Ithiel  Town,  Esq.,  Architect,  and  nearly  all 
the  best  villas  at  ISTew  Haven,  where  he  resided,  are  built  in 
this  mode.  In  the  hope  that  our  more  intelligent  masons  and 
bricklayei's  will  adopt  this  very  superior  mode  of  construction, 
in  all  parts  of  the  country,  we  give  the  following  simple  plans, 
showing,  at  a  glance,  how  they  are  constracted. 

In  Fig.  2,  A  represents  a  waU  sixteen  inches  thick,  with  a 
hollow  space  of  fom*  inches.  The  double  com^se  of  bricks  is 
upon  the  outside,  the  single  course  upon  the  inside  of  the 
wall ;  the  plastering  of  the  room  being  made  directly  upon  the 
latter.  In  this  com-se  the  bricks  are  stretchers  laid  flat,  and  the 
inside  and  outside  com-ses  are  tied  together  by  the  bricks 
marked  a. 

B  represents  the  second  coui*se  of  this  wall.  The  builder 
will  notice  here  an  important  point,  viz.  that  the  position  of  the 
tie-brick,  «,  is  changed  in  this  com*se  to  5,  thus  breaking  joints, 
and  strengthening  the  wall.  In  lajang  the  next  course  above, 
this  tie-brick  will  take  the  same  position  as  in  the  first  course, 
a,  and  so  alternately  in  each  com-se,  till  the  wall  is  complete. 


60 


OOUNTRY    HOUSES. 


[Fig.  2.    Hollow  Hi  inch  wall.] 

Ill  B,  tlie  course  of  bricks  in  that  part  of  the  wall  directly 
l)efore  ns,  is  laid  across  the  last  course,  forming  a  whole  course 
of  headers  ;  and  a  wall  built  in  this  way  {Engluh  Bond)^  is  the 
best  and  strongest,  when  the  outside  is  to  be  stuccoed  or 
cemented.  When  it  is  to  be  left  smooth  to  be  colored  or 
painted,  the  Flemish  Bond,  represented  in  the  two  courses  on 
the  other  angles  of  the  wall,  C  and  1  >,  are  preferable,  because 
regular  combes  of  stretchere  only  are  presented  on  the  outside. 

Tlie  position  of  the  tie-bricks,  e  and  ^/,  it  will  be  seen,  alter- 
nates in  the  same  way. 


ON   MATERIALS   AND   MODES   OF   CONSTRUCTION. 


61 


A  very  little  practice  will  enable  tiie  mason  to  construct  a 
hollow  wall  in  this  way  with  rapidity.  As  the  strength  of 
this  wall  is  greatly  increased  by  placuig  the  brick  a  opposite 
the  side  of  a  brick  (as  shown  in  the  plan,  and  not  opposite  a 
joint  between  two  bricks),  a  little  attention  should  be  given,  so 
as  to  secui'e  this  mode  of  construction. 

A  hollow  wall  of  this  thickness  is  amply  sufficient  for  almost 
all  country  houses.  In  especial  cases,  when  a  thicker  wall  is 
thought  necessary,  it  may  easily  be  made  by  adding  one  brick 
more  to  the  thickness  of  the  outside  of  the  wall,  or  to  the  inside, 
or  to  both  sides,  thus  making  it  a  hollow  wall  of  twenty  or 
Twenty-fom*  inches. 


[Fig.  3.     Hollow  12  inch  waU.] 


Fig.  3  shows  a  very  simple  and  cheap  mode  of  building  a 
hollow  wall  twelve  inches  wide,  which  answers  very  well  for 
low  additions,  or  walls  intended  to  bear  but  little  weight.  An 
addition  of  another  brick  to  the  outside  would  make  a  sood 
sixteen-inch  wall,  rather  more  quickly  built,  but  not  so  strong 
or  so  economical,  as  regards  materials,  as  the  mode  shown  in 
Fig.  2.  The  tie-bricks  alternate,  in  the  courses,  as  in  the 
former  mode ;  that  is,  the  brick  a  is  covered,  in  the  next 
course,  with  the  brick  h  (shown  by  the  dotted  lines);  c  by  <?, 
and  so  on,  through  the  whole. 

Fig.  4  shows  a  very  simple  and  strong  mode  of  building  a 
hollow  eight-inch  wall — suitable  for  partitions,  or  even  for  the 


62 


CX)UNTRY    HOUSES. 


<l'vj.  4.     Ik.lli.w  r  iiK-li  wall.l 


outside  walls  of  small  cottages  to  he  covered  with  stucco  or 
rough-cast.  Two  courses  of  stretchei*s,  a,  consisting  of  bricks 
on  edge,  are  first  laid  the  whole  length  of  the  wall.  This  leaves 
the  hollow  space  5,  between.  Tlie  next  course  is  a  course  of 
headers,  c,  laid  flat,  and  reaching  across  the  whole  wall.  As 
tlie  mortar  in  this  course  is  only  placed  under  the  ends  where 
the  headers  lie  on  the  sh-etchers,  there  is  between  each  brick 
a  small  space  left  open,  directly  over  the  hollow  space  below,  so 
that,  in  fact,  the  wall  may  be  said  to  be  partially  hollow 
throughout,  though  there  are  no  wide  openings  left  between 
the  /leaders,  as  in  the  other  modes.  This  mode,  when  used  for 
an  outside  wall  for  cottages,  is  not  so  dry  as  the  construction 
in  the  former  figm-es,  because  the  headers  go  quite  through  the 
wall  from  one  side  to  the  other ;  but  ^^■ith  a  good  coat  of  stucco 
or  cement  it  makes  a  very  good  outside  wall.  When  heavy 
beams  are  to  be  placed  on  such  a  wall,  preparation  should  be 
made  for  them  by  carrying  up  a  solid  pier  in  the  wall,  from  its 
base  to  the  point  of  support,  for  the  beams  to  rest  on.  Tliis 
mode  is  the  invention  of  Mr.  Deam,  an  English  builder,  who 
describes  it  as  requiring  only  one-thu'd  of  the  bricks,  and  one 
half  the  mortar  of  a  common  solid  wall  of  the  same  thickness. 
Eight-inch  hollow  brick  walls  are  sufficiently  strong  for  cot- 


ON   MATERIAJLS   AND   MODES   OF  CONSTRUCTION.  63 

tasjes  of  small  size,  and  as  air  is  a  better  non-conductor  than 
brick  or  stone,  such  hollow  walls  are  warmer  in  winter  and 
cooler  in  smnmer  than  solid  walls  of  the  same  thickness. 
When  covered  with  a  coat  of  lime  or  cement  stucco  on 
the  outside,  they  make  excellent  and  durable  dwellings; 
and  as  the  rougher  the  face  of  the  wall  to  be  stuccoed  is,  the 
better,  a  wall  of  this  kind  made  of  hard-baked  bricks  may  be 
constructed  more  rapidly  and  cheaply  than  any  other. 

In  the  case  of  villas,  the  walls  should  never  be  less  than 
twelve  inches  thick,  and  this  additional  thickness  in  hollow 
walls  of  this  latter  construction,  is  gained  by  another  course  of 
bricks  flatwise  on  one  side  of  Dearn's  hollow  wall. 

But  the  better  mode  is  to  build  the  sixteen-inch  wall,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  2. 

The  superior  excellence  and  economy  of  hollow  walls  must, 
we  think,  bring  this  mode  of  construction  into  general  favor  in 
all  parts  of  the  comitiy  where  bricks  are  abundant. 

Stucco.  Stuccoed  walls  (i.  e.  those  plastered  externally)  are 
in  many  respects  superior  to  those  of  plain  brick  or  stone. 
They  are  cheaper,  warmer,  and  diyer  than  either  brick  or  stone 
walls.  No  one  would  prefer  a  stuccoed  wall,  intrinsically,  to  a 
wall  built  of  a  fine  stone,  or  of  the  pale  cream-colored  bricks 
which  are  made  in  some  parts  of  the  country,  or  to  a  wall  built 
of  smooth  and  well-faced  brick,  harmoniously  painted,  because 
these  are  not  only  excellent  materials,  but  they  are  more 
truthfid  and  genuine  than  stucco.  But  the  greater  warmth 
and  protection  of  stucco,  the  ease  with  which  it  takes  an 
agreeable  tint  by  cheap  washes,  and  its  moderate  cost,  render 
it  a  most  valuable  material  to  all  builders  or  proprietors  who 
wish  to  combine  beauty  and  comfort  with  moderate  expenditure. 


'U  COUNTRY    HOUSES. 

Outside  plastering  or  stuccoing  is  generally  so  little  under- 
stood In  this  country,  and  has  been  so  Ladly  practised  by  many 
masons,  tliat  there  is  an  unjust  prejudice  against  it,  in  many 
\)Rvts  of  the  Union.  Three-fourths  of  all  the  finest  modem 
buildings  of  Euroj^e  are  f»f  brick  and  stucco,  and  nothing  but 
attention  to  a  few  simple  ndes  is  necessary  to  insure  success  in 
stuccoing  in  this  coimtry. 

The  first  of  these  rules  is,  not  to  use  stucco  except  upon 
buildings  with,  projecting  roofs^  in  order  to  prevent  the  possibility 
of  the  wall  getting  saturated  at  the  eaves. 

Tlie  second  is,  never  to  use  sand  which  has  not  been  washed 
until  it  is  perfectly  clean,  and  no  longer  discolore  the  water  that 
is  poured  upon  it. 

Tlie  third  is,  never  to  use  "  cement "  or  hydraulic  lime,  the 
character  of  which  for  tenacity  has  not  been  fully  tested  on  out- 
side walls  for  ten  years  at  least.* 

A  strong  and  durable  stucco  for  plastering  the  outsides  of 
r<:>ugh  brick  or  stone  walls  is  made  in  the  following  manner : 

Take  stone  lime  fresh  fi-om  the  kiln,  and  of  the  hest  quality^ 
such  as  is  known  to  make  a  strong  and  durable  mortar  (like 
the  Tliomaston  lime).  Slake  it  by  sprinkling  or  pouring  over 
it  just  water  enough  to  leave  it,  Avlien  slaked,  in  the  condition 
of  a  fine  dry  powder^  and  not  a  pmte.  Set  \\\^  a  (piarter-inch 
wire  screen  at  an  inclined  plane,  and  tlu-ow  this  powder  against 
it.    What  passes  through  is  fit  for  use.    That  which  remains 


*  Several  of  our  most  popular  hydraulic  linios  are  excellent  for  covered  work, 
such  as  cisterns,  aqucduct.s,  etc.,  but  nearly  worthless  for  work  exposed  to  the 
atmosphere.  The  only  one  which  we  know  to  be  an  exception  to  this  remark  is 
tlie  cement  from  Berlin,  Conn.,  thougli  there  are,  doubtless,  others  as  good  in  various 
localities. 


ON   MATERIALS   AND   MODES   OF   CONSTRUCTION.  65 

behind  contains  the  core^  which  would  spoil  the  stucco,  and 
must  be  rejected. 

Having  obtained  the  sharpest  sand  to  be  had,  and  hav- 
ing washed  it  so  that  not  a  particle  of  the  mud  and  dirt 
(which  destroy  the  tenacity  of  most  stuccoes)  remains,  and 
screened  it,  to  give  some  miiformity  to  the  size,  mix  it  with  the 
lime  in  powder,  in  the  proportion  of  two  parts  sand  to  one  part 
lime.  This  is  the  best  proportion  for  lime  stucco.  More  lime 
would  make  a  stronger  stucco,  but  one  by  no  means  so  hard — 
and  hardness  and  tenacity  are  both  needed. 

The  mortar  must  now  be  made  by  adding  water,  and  working 
it  thoroughly.  On  the  tempering  of  the  mortar  greatly  depends 
its  tenacity. 

The  wall  to  be  stuccoed  should  be  first  prepared  by  clearing- 
off  all  loose  dh-t,  mortar,  etc.,  with  a  stiff  broom.  Then  ap2:)ly 
the  mortar  in  two  coats;  the  fii'st  a  rough  coat,  to  cover  the 
inequalities  of  the  wall,  the  second  as  a  finishing  coat.  The 
latter,  however,  should  be  put  on  hefore  the  former  is  dry,  and 
as  soon,  indeed,  as  the  fii'st  coat  is  sufliciently  fii-m  to  receive 
it :  the  whole  should  then  be  well  floated,  trowelled,  and  marked 
off;  and  if  it  is  to  be  colored  in  water-color,  the  wash  should 
be  applied,  so  as  to  set  with  the  stucco. 

Wlioever  will  follow  these  simple  dii'ections  will  have  a  sound 
and  lasting  stucco.  There  are  many  country  houses  in  Penn- 
sylvania plastered  with  lime  stucco,  in  this  mode,  eighty  or  one 
hundred  years  ago,  the  stucco  of  which  is  now  as  fii-m  and 
sound  as  the  stone  itself. 

Rough-cast  is  a  rude  species  of  cement,  very  dm'able  and 
very  cheap,  and  well  adapted  to  farm-houses  and  the  plainer 
kind  of  iTiral  cottages.    Examples  of  its  introduction  will  be 

5 


6G  COUNTRY    HOUSES. 

given  in  some  of  the  designs  whidi  lullow.  It  is  chiefly  used 
to  cover  stone  houses,  the  walls  of  which  are  built  of  small 
stones.    The  mode  of  putting  it  on  is  as  follows : 

The  surface  of  the  wall  being  brushed  off  clean,  lay  on  a 
coat  of  ffood  lime  and  hair  mortar.  Allow  this  to  drv,  and 
then  lay  on  another  coat  as  evenly  and  smoothly  as  possible 
without  floating.  As  soon  as  two  or  three  yards  of  the  second 
coat  is  finished,  have  ready  a  pail  of  rou^h-cast.,  and  splash  or 
throw  it  on  the  Mall.  This  is  usually  done  by  another  work- 
man, who  holds  the  trowel  with  which  he  throws  on  the  rough- 
cast in  one  hand,  and  a  white-wash  brush  dipped  constantly  in 
the  pail  in  the  other,  which  follows  the  trowel  until  the  whole  is 
smooth,  and  evenly  colored. 

The  rough-cast  itself  is  made  of  sharp  sand,  washed  clean, 
screened  and  mixed  in  a  largo  tub  with  pure,  newly-slaked  lime 
and  water,  till  the  whole  is  in  a  semi-fluid  state.  A  little 
yellow  ochre  mixed  in  the  rough-cast  gives  the  whole  a  slightly 
fiiwn-colored  shade,  more  agreeable  to  the  eye  than  white. 

AVherever  smooth  brick  walls  with  sandstone  dressings  are 
within  the  reach  of  a  builder  of  a  good  country  house,  this 
combination  should  be  accepted,  as,  next  to  a  fine  stone,  produ- 
cing the  very  best  effect,  both  as  regards  beauty  and  truthfulness. 
The  brick  should  be  painted  to  harmonize  with  the  stone-dress- 
ings of  the  windows,  doors,  cornices,  etc.  (perhaps  a  few 
shades  lighter  or  darker),  and  the  effect  is  highly  satisfactory. 
Mr.  Van  Rensselaer's  manor-house  at  Albany,  and  Mr.  King's 
villa  at  Newport,  are  excellent  examples  of  this  mode  of  con- 
struction. 

Nothing,  in  an  architectural  jioint  of  view,  is  so  satisfactory 
:i<  <f.>iic.     It  is  so  permanent,  endm'ing,  and  genuine  in  appear- 


ON   MATERIAXS  AND   MODES   OF  CONSTRUCTION.  67 

ance,  and  all  ornaments  are  so  vastly  increased  in  apparent 
value  when  executed  in  this  material,  that,  were  it  not  for 
its  much  greater  cost,  it  should  at  all  times  have  the  prefer- 
ence over  other  materials  for  country  houses. 

We  are  here,  however,  compelled  to  admit  that  we  have 
serious  objections,  in  point  of  taste,  to  building  small  cottages 
of  sombre-looking  blue  or  gray  stones.  Dark  limestone  and 
granite,  in  a  cottage,  have  a  jail-like  and  severe  aspect,  and  in  all 
small  buildings  we  would,  if  none  but  such  dark-colored  stone 
can  be  had,  prefer  either  to  color  the  stone  or  to  ouild  of  rough 
stone  or  brick,  covering  them  >vith  stucco.  Even  in  villas 
of  moderate  size,  a  sombre  stone  often  desti-oys  much  of  the 
cheerfulness  of  a  pleasing  exterior. 

The  two  most  satisfactory  stones  yet  extensively  used  in  this 
country  for  Rural  Architectm'e  are  the  light-brown  sandstone 
or  "freestone"  of  Connecticut  and  New  Jei'sey  (of  which 
Trinity  -Church  in  ]S"ew  York  is  built),*  and  the  soft,  light-gray 
stone  of  Cincinnati.  Both  these  have  a  mellow  and  harmo- 
nious effect  in  combination  with  foliage,  both  are  easily 
wrought,  and  aU  ornaments  executed  in  them  are  finely  relieved 
by  soft  shadows.  I^ext  to  these,  the  liglit-gra/y  limestones  afford 
the  most  agreeable  and  most  valuable  materials  for  building. 

The  objection  to  stone,  commonly  urged  in  this  country, 
is,  that  houses  built  of  this  material  are  always  drnnj).  While 
this  is  quite  true  of  stone  houses,  as  they  are  often,  and  indeed 
usually,  built  in  the  countiy,  it  is  also  true  that  this  dampness 
always   arises  from  bad  constraction.     A  stone  house,   in   a 

*  The  new  villa  of  J.  S.  Thayer,  Esq.,  at  Brookline,  near  Boston,  built  of  brown 
freestone,  is  a  fine  example  of  the  beauty  of  this  material  for  country  houses. 


68  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

damp  Boil,  of  which  the  foundation  walls  are  built  of  common 
lime  mortar,  will  always  be  damp,  fi-om  capillary  attraction — 
common  lime  moilar  offering  no  impediment  to  the  absoq^tion 
of  the  moisture  fi'om  the  soil,  or  to  its  gradual  passage 
upwards  into  the  main  wall  of  the  house.  The  latter,  there- 
fore, will  rarely  be  quite  dry.  The  remedy  for  this  is  to 
build  the  foundation  walls  of  Tiydra/uUc  lime  mortar,  which 
completely  prevents  any  such  foundation  dampness. 

A  stone  house,  in  which  the  walls  of  the  apartments  are 
plastered  directly  on  the  stone,  must  always  be  more  or  less 
damp,  because  all  stone  is  more  or  less  pervious  to  water ;  or 
because  the  plaster  wall,  being  of  the  same  temperatm-e  as  the 
outer  or  stone  wall,  condenses  the  dampness  of  the  apartments 
on  its  inner  surface.  Tlie  remedy  for  this  is,  either  to  Jit^r-off 
a  hollow  space  between  the  stone  wall  and  the  plaster  wall,  or 
(which  is  much  the  most  solid  mode)  to  form  a  hoUow  wall  by 
a  single  thickness  of  brick  built  up  and  connected  with  the 
stone  wall  while  constructing  the  latter. 

In  choosing  stone  as  a  material  for  building,  not  only  should 
the  size  of  the  house  be  considered, — the  more  dignified  and 
grave  character  of  the  mansion  allo^ving,  with  good  effect,  the 
employment  of  a  much  darker  stone  than  the  simple  and  more 
cheerful  character  of  the  small  cottage, — ^but  the  expression  of 
the  style  of  architecture  adopted  should  also  be  considered. 
A  light  and  cheerful  villa,  comjwsed  in  the  Italian  or  Venetian 
style,  would  almost  lose  its  expression  of  cheert'idness  if  built 
in  dark-blue  limestone,  while  a  Gothic  villa  or  mansion,  of  large 
size,  would  have  its  antique  character  supported  and  developed 
by  such  a  material.  A  little  reflection  will  convince  any 
ul)serving  pei-son  of  taste,  that  the  color  of  a  stone  building 


ON   MATERIALS  AND  MODES   OF  CONSTRUCTION.  69 

has  a  great  deal  to  do  with  its  expression  and  with  the  effect 
it  has  upon  our  feelings ;  and  that  the  outward  hue  which  the 
material  employed  will  force  the  edifice  forever  after  to 
represent  to  the  eye,  is  a  point  worthy  of  very  serious  con- 
sideration. 


70  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


SECTION  lY. 


DESIGNS  FOR  COTTAGES. 


We  offer,  in  thia  section,  a  series  of  designs  for  cottages. 
They  are  by  no  means  to  be  looked  upon  as  perfect  models  for 
this  kind  of  dwelling,  and  we  may  add  that,  although  "  model 
cottages"  are  often  talked  of,  they  are  very  seldom  found. 

The  habits  of  life,  even  of  pei-sons  who  live  in  cottages,  are 
very  different  in  New  England  from  those  in  New  York,  wliile 
the  habits  of  tlie  latter  ai'e  imlike  those  at  the  south  and  west ; 
it  will  therefore  readily  be  seen,  that  what  would  precisely 
answer  the  demands  of  this  class  in  one  j)art  of  the  country, 
would  fall  short  of  their  expectations  in  another.  One  desires, 
above  all  things,  snugness,  and  economy  of  space ;  another,  as 
much  room  as  possible,  and  as  large  a  space  as  can  be  afforded ; 
while  all  desire  to  get  far  more  accommodation  than  is  prac- 
ticable for  a  given  sum. 

It  is,  therefore,  far  more  difficult  to  design  a  satisfactory 
cottage  than  a  satisfactoiy  villa.  In  the  former,  the  architect 
is  bound  down  by  rigid  notions  of  economy,  and  must  bring 
all  the  accommodation  ^vithin  very  narrow  limits ;  in  the  latter, 
the  cost  is  not  so  carefully  considered,  and  space  enough 
is  afforded  to  allow  elegance  and  variety  of  form  and  ar- 
rangement. 

It  does  not  follow,  however,  that  tasteful  cottages  cannot  be 


DESIGNS   FOR  COTTAGES.  71 

designed.  There  are  no  buildings,  however  simple,  to  which 
either  good  forms  or  something  of  an  agi-eeable  expression  may 
not  be  given. 

In  designing  the  following  cottages,  we  have  aimed  rather 
at  producing  beanty  by  means  of  form  and  proportion,  than  by 
ornament ;  hence,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  those  who  have  only  a 
smattering  of  taste,  and  think  a  cottage  cannot  possess '  any 
beauty  unless  it  is  bedizened  with  ornaments,  will  be  disap- 
pointed with  the  simplicity  of  most  of  these  plans.  But  we 
trust,  on  the  other  hand,  that  persons  of  more  information  and 
more  correct  taste,  and  especially  those  who  have  followed  us 
in  om*  development  of  the  true  sources  of  interest  in  rural 
ai'chitecture,  will  agree  with  us  that  tasteftil  simplicity,  not 
fanciful  complexity,  is  the  true  character  for  cottages. 

Besides  this,  we  have  been  most  anxious  to  give  designs  for 
cheajp  cottages.  There  are  tens  of  thousands  of  working-men 
in  this  country,  who  now  wish  to  give  something  of  beauty  and 
interest  to  the  simple  forms  of  cottage  life ;  there  are  many  of 
these  who  are  desirous  to  have  their  home  of  three  rooms 
tastefiil  and  expressive,  no  less  than  among  those  whose 
dwellings  number  thirty  rooms.  We  have,  therefore,  avoided 
misuitable  ornaments,  chosen  cheap  materials,  and,  for  the  most 
part,  have  taken  simple  and  symmetrical  forms,  so  that,  in  some 
cases,  not  a  dollar  more  would  be  expended  in  the  execution 
of  our  designs  than  the  same  accommodation  wonld  cost  in 
the  usual  plain  modes  of  building;  while  in  other  examples, 
only  a  very  trifling  additional  sum  would  be  required. 

FTiNT)A:!kiENTAi,  PoiNTS.  In  all  the  following  designs  for 
cottages,  we  have  assumed  that  the  interiors  shall  be  finished 
in  a  simple  and  plain  manner.    The  walls  are  to  be  plastered 


COUNTRY    UOUSE8. 


with  two  coats,  and  tiiiished  with  a  hmum  coat,  so  as  to  receive 
a  coat  of  whitcwasli,  or  some  water  or  oil  color,  or  to  be 
papered. 

Tlie  hei<j:ht  of  tlic  rooms  on  the  fii-st  floor  or  principal  floor 
of  these  cottages  is  ten  feet ;  that  of  tlie  rooms  on  the  second 
floor^  either  eight  and  a  lialf,  or  nine  feet — the  fonner  in  the 
half-otorv  designs,  the  latter  in  the  fnll-story  designs. 

Our  estimates  for  cottages  do  not  include  the  painting  of  the 
exterior,  since  many  cottagers  will  prefer  to  color  the  outside 
of  their  dwellings  themselves,  with  one  of  the  cheap  paints  or 
washes  we  shall  recommend  in  a  subsequent  page,  rather  than 
incur  the  cost  of  having  them  painted  in  oil  colors. 

Estimates.  ^Nothing  is  more  diflicult  than  to  give  an  esti- 
mate for  executing  any  design,  which  shall  be  precise  and 
satisfactory  to  the  readers  of  a  work  in  so  broad  a  coimtry 
as  the  United  States.  A  cottage  which  may  be  built  in 
Bangor,  where  wood  is  abundant,  for  a  comparatively  small 
sum,  would  cost  a  great  deal  more  in  Charleston,  and  con- 
siderably more  here.  A  brick  dwelling  can  be  erected,  here, 
at  ab(»ut  the  same  price  as  one  substantially  built  of  wood; 
but  in  a  district  Avhere  wood  is  })lcntiful,  and  bricks  scarce, 
a  brick  dwelling  would,  perhaps,  cost  nearly  double.  The  only 
mode,  therefore,  is  \\>v  our  readers  to  compare  tlie  prices  of 
materials  at  home  with  those  of  the  same  materials  here,  and 
let  the  l)uilder  make  the  necessary  alterations.  Placing  good 
bricks,  here,  at  four  dollars  per  thousand,  box  boards  at 
fourteen  dollai"s  ])er  thousand  feet,  and  good  inch  and  a 
(juarter  matched  plank  at  from  twenty  to  twenty-two  dollars, 
they  will  luive  the  necessary  data  for  comparing  the  cost  here 
with  the  cost  there. 


I  >  K  S  I  G  N     I 

\     TAHORER's    COTTA'iE 


li^xk'iV--.-: 


I-'K 


r~; 


IRIffCIFM,    ri,"  •!; 

Tie.  >'< 


DESIGNS   FOE   COTTAGES.  73 


DESIGN  I. — A  small  Cottage  for  a  Working-mom. 

This  simple  design  is  given  to  stow  how  a  very  small 
cottage,  built  of  wood,  may  be  made  to  look  well  at  very  trifling 
cost.  In  form,  it  is  a  mere  parallelogram,  and  while  it  is 
devoid  of  very  strongly-marked  architectural  character,  it 
combines  something  of  picturesqueness,  and  something  of 
home-like  or  domestic  expression. 

The  pictm-esque  character  is  partly  owing  to  the  bold 
shadows  thrown  by  the  projecting  roof,  and  partly  to  rafter 
brackets  and  window  hoods. 

Let  any  one  imagine  this  little  cottage,  with  its  roof  cut  off 
close  to  the  eaves,  with  the  rafter  brackets  that  support  the 
projecting  eaves  omitted,  with  the  windows  and  door  mere  bare 
frames,  and  he  has  an  example  of  how  this  same  cottage 
would  look  as  we  commonly  see  it  built;  that  is  to  say, 
without  the  picturesqueness  of  wood  clearly  expressed  by  using 
it  holdly  (not  neatly  and  carefully) ;  by  a  sense  of  something 
beyond  mere  utility,  evinced  in  the  pains  taken  to  extend 
the  roof  more  than  is  absolutely  needful ;  and  by  raising  the 
character  of  the  windows  and  doors  by  placing  hoods  over 
their  tops. 

Accommodation.  The  single  apartment  called  the  living- 
room  (Fig.  6),  twelve  by  eighteen  feet,  is  the  common 
apai*tment,  the  kitchen,  sitting-room,  and  parlor  of  this  family, 
for  it  is  intended  for  a  family  which  "  takes  care  of  itself." 

Opening  the  front  door  of  this  cottage,  we  see  an  entry  six 
feet    wide,    which    contains    the  start's    to    the    second    floor. 


74  COUNTE"K»  HOUSES. 

Underneath  this  stairs,  another  flight  descends  to  the 
ceUar.* 

On  the  left  of  the  entry  is  a  small  Ijed-room  twelve  feet 
square.  If  this  bed-room  is  used  constantly,  it  would  be  better 
to  have  it  communicate  with  the  living-room  by  the  door 
on  the  left  of  the  chimney  flue,  which  is  now  the  closet 
door ;  and  this  an-angement,  sujjposing  this  the  bed-room  in 
constant  use,  will  give  greater  convenience  and  greater  warmth 
in  winter,  since  one  fire  M-ill  keep  both  rooms  warm.  If,  on 
the  contrary,  it  is  only  to  be  used  occasionally,  it  would  be 
better  not  to  make  it  communicate.  Indeed,  with  a  little  nicety 
of  construction,  there  is  space  enough  to  retain  a  small  closet 
for  the  living-room,  and  still  have  these  two  rooms  connected. 

The  living-room  is  thirteen  by  eighteen  feet,  a  convenient  size 
for  daily  use.  It  is  lighted  by  a  window  on  each  side,  and  the 
chimney  being  nearly  in  the  centre  of  the  house,  no  heat  \n\] 
be  lost  in  winter.  Near  one  comer  of  the  opposite  side  of  this 
room  is  a  door  opening  into  a  small  pantiy  which  is  lighted  by 
a  window ;  and  at  the  opposite  comer  is  another  door  opening 
into  a  narrow  porch.  We  have  cut  off"  the  passage,  to  form  this 
small  i)orch,  in  order  to  protect  the  back  door,  which  opens 
into  tlie  main  apartment  of  the  family,  from  sudden  draughts 
and  cold  blasts,  a  point  most  important  in  a  northem  climate, 
but  too  often  neglected,  to  the  serious  discomfort  of  the  inmates 
of  small  cottages.  From  this  l>ack  p(.)rch  another  door  will  be 
seen  opening  into  a  small  wood-house,  so  that  fuel  may  be  had 


*  A  scale  -will  bo  found  attached  to  tliis  and  most  of  the  other  plans,  by  -which 
any  dimensioas  of  the  plans,  not  given  in  the  text,  may  be  ascertained  by  the  reader's 
own  measurement 


DESIGNS  FOR  COTTAGES.  75 

without  going  into  the  open  air.  This  wood-house  is  repre- 
sented of  small  size,  but  it  may  be  extended  in  depth  several 
feet,  if  more  room  is  wanted. 


[Fig.  7.    Chamber  Floor.] 

The  second  floor  of  this  cottage,  Fig.  7,  contains  two  good 
sleeping  rooms  and  two  large  closets.  There  are  no  fii'e- 
places,  but  openings  are  left  for  stove-pipes  in  the  flues,  so  that 
one  or  both  rooms  can  be  warmed. 

There  is  a  cellar  under  this  cottage,  and  the  outer  cellar 
door  should  be  provided  just  beneath  the  pantry  window,  if  no 
more  convenient  position  is  found  for  it. 

Cottages  of  this  size  usually  have  the  stairs  placed  in  the 
living-room,  while  the  front  door  opens  directly  into  one  of 
the  apartments.  We  think,  in  this  respect,  our  plan  has 
much  greater  comfort  and  convenience  to  recommend  it. 

CoNSTKircnoN.  This  cottage  is  to  be  bmlt  of  wood,  and  the 
weather-boarding  is  to  be  put  on  ui  the  vertical  Tnanner^  with 
battens  nailed  over  the  joints,  described  in  our  last  section. 

In  many  parts  of  the  country,  where  lumber  planed  by 
machinery  is  not  easily  obtained,  we  would  use  inch  boards 
rough,  or  without  planing,  and  put  them  on  with  square  edges 
(not  matched).  The  batten  completely  covers  the  joint.  This 
will  cheapen  the  cottage  considerably,  if  planing  is  to  be  done 


76  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

by  hand ;  and  for  all  outbuildings  and  cheap  cottages,  rough 
l>oarding,  either  jminted  and  sanded,  or  washed  over  by  the 
cottager  himself  with  a  cheap  wash,  w^hich  we  shall  give  the 
recipe  for,  produces  an  eftect  even  more  satisfactory  to  the 
eye,  because  more  rustic  and  picturesque,  than  planed  boards. 

But  steam-planed  boards  and  plank  are  now  offered  so 
cheaply  (that  is  to  say,  at  only  three  or  four  dollars  per  thousand 
feet  additional  cost,  being  at  the  same  time  matched  or  tongued 
and  grooved),  that  they  are  now  almost  universally  used  for 
covering  houses  with  vertical  boarding. 

Planed-andrinatched  flooring  boards,  one  inch  thick,  and  of 
good  quality,  can  be  had,  here,  for  about  seventeen  dollars  per 
thousand  feet,  or  at  Rochester  or  13angor  for  fourteen  dollars. 
The  same  boards  roughs  are  worth  on  the  Hudson  four- 
teen dollars,  and  at  Rochester  eleven  dollars;"'^  and  as  this 
cottage  would  require  about  fourteen  hundred  feet  of  weather- 
boarding,  the  economy  in  either  of  these  localities,  by  using 
rough  boards,  would  be  only  about  five  dollars  in  the  cost  of  the 
whole  cottage;  so  that,  under  these  circumstances,  we  should 
prefer  the  j^laned  boards,  because  there  is  some  additional 
warmth  in  the  closer  joints  made  by  having  the  edges  matched. 

To  make  the  cottage  comfortable  for  the  north,  it  should  be 
jiUed-in  with  soft  bricks,  placed  on  edge,  so  as  to  allow  the 
inside  wall  to  be  plastered  on  the  brick,  as  described  in  page 


*  Inch  Iwards  arc  sufficient  for  small  cottages ;  but  for  villas  or  country  houses  of 
a  superior  class,  inch  and  a  quarter  planed  and  matched  Jloor  planks  are  used 
for  weather-boarding.  These  are  worth,  here,  from  twenty  to  twenty-two  dollars 
per  tliousand;  at  Rochester  tliey  are  worth  from  fifteen  to  twenty  dollars,  and 
at  Bangor,  fourteen  to  eighteen  dollars. 


DESIGNS  FOK  COTTAGES. 


TT 


53.  In  the  milder  parts  of  the  Union  this  will  not  be  neces- 
sary, and,  if  omitted,  the  cost  of  the  cottage  will  be  lessened 
about  twenty-five  dollars— conntmg  the  price  of  soft  bricks  at 
three  dollars  per  thousand. 


^^M  i^i  tew  tea 

[Fig.  8.    Cottage  Window— Plain  Rising  Sash.] 

Fig.  8  shows  a  window  suitable  in  style  and  construction  for 
this  class  of  wooden  cottages;  having  twelve  lights,  ten  by 
twelve  inches,  and  common  rising  sashes.  The  outside  facing 
or  dressings  of  this  window,  and  especially  the  hood,  ^,  and  the 
sill,  c,  should  be  of  good  plank,  two  inches  thick.  The  facings, 
c,  should  be  four  or  five  inches  wide,  and  should  project  the 


78  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

whole  thickness  of  the  stuif  beyond  the  face  of  the  weather- 
boarding.  The  hood  itself,  Z»,  projects  eight  inches  beyond  the 
face  of  the  weather-boarding,  and  is  supported  by  two  plain 
brackets,  <7,  made  either  of  common  joist,  or  thick  plank.  In 
this  figure,  B  C  is  a  profile  section  of  the  same  window,  in 
which  the  letters  refer  to  the  same  parts. 

We  have  been  thus  minute  in  describing  this  cottage 
window,  because  the  en*or,  into  which  carpenters  frequently 
fall,  is  that  of  making  wooden  window  dressings  so  meager  in 
all  that  meets  the  eye  on  the  outside,  that  they  have  none  of 
that  force  and  picturesqueness  which  should  belong  to  a  cottage 
built  of  wood  in  this  manner. 

The  hood  over  the  front  door,  as  shown  in  Design  I.,  is  a 
foot  wide,  and  is  supported  by  brackets  more  ornamental  than 
those  under  the  windows,  to  denote  the  greater  importance  of 
the  principal  entrance. 

The  roof  of  this  cottage  projects  two  feet,  and,  like  all  cheap 
cottages  in  this  country,  is  covered  with  shingles.  On  the  sides, 
the  rafters  are  continued  out  to  support  the  eaves,  and  on  the 
gables,  short  pieces  of  joist  are  fitted  in  to  support  the  sheathing 
of  the  roof,  and  to  give  unity  of  effect. 

EaUmate.  On  tlie  Hudson,  this  cottage,  with  a  cellar 
under  the  whole  building,  and  filled-in  M'ith  bricks  on  edge, 
will  cost  $400.  An  estimate  fi-om  an  experienced  builder  at 
Rochester,  places  the  cost  there  at  $330. 

DESIGN  n. — A  small  Bracketed  Cottage. 

Tms  little  cottage,  with  about  the  same  number  of  square 
feet  as  Design  I.,  is  more  pictm-csque,  from  its  in-egular  fonn. 


^MAI-L    liKAlKEl'KD    COTTAGII 


> 


Fin    0 


rRINCIPAT,    FLOOR 

Fis.  10. 


DESIGNS  FOR  COTTAGES.  Y9 

It  would,  on  this  account,  be  selected  by  all  those  wbo  prr^er 
irregular  to  regular  symmetiy. 

There  is  also  a  good  deal  more  feeling  shown  in  this  cottage 
than  in  Design  I.  The  features  which  express  this  are  the  bay 
window,  the  rustic  trellises  covered  with  vines,  and  the 
bracketed  vine-canopy  over  the  end  window  in  the  principal 
apartment. 

!Now,  every  cottage  may  not  display  science  or  knowledge, 
because  science  demands  architectm-al  education  in  its  builder 
or  designer,  as  well  as,  in  many  cases,  some  additional  expense. 
But  feeling  may  be  evinced  by  every  one  possessing  it,  and 
there  is  no  more  striking  or  successful  way  of  manifesting  it  in 
a  cottage  than  by  the  employment  of  permanent  vines  to 
embellish  it.  Something  of  a  love  for  the  beautiful,  in  the 
inmates,  is  always  suggested  by  a  vine-covered  cottage,  because 
mere  utility  would  never  lead  any  person  to  plant  flowering 
vines ;  and  much  of  positive  beauty  is  always  conferred  upon 
simple  cottage  forms  by  the  graceful  growth  of  vines,  through 
the  rural  and  domestic  expression  they  give  to  the  cottage.  "We 
say  domestic  expression,  because,  as  vines  are  never  planted 
by  architects,  masons,  carpenters,  or  those  who  build  the 
cottage,  but  always  by  those  who  live  in  it,  and  make  it  tnily 
a  home,  and  generally  by  the  mother  or  daughter,  whose 
very  planting  of  vines  is  a  labor  of  love  offered  up  on  the 
domestic  altar,  it  follows,  by  the  most  direct  and  natural  asso- 
ciations, that  vines  on  a  inu-al  cottage  always  express 
domesticity  and  the  j)resence  of  heart. 

If  any  one  wishes  to  know  the  effect,  in  a  simple  cottage,  of 
a  little  feeling  of  this  kind  added  to  that  simplest  kind  of 
architecture  which  rises  but  little  above  common  sense,  he  has 


80 


COUNTRY   UOU8E8. 


only  to  c<)m])arc  the  view  of  this  cottage  in  Fig.  9  with  Fig.  11, 
which  is  precisely  tlie  same  cottage  (though  in  Fig.  9  the  front 
and  entrance  side  are  8ho>\'n;  in  Fig.  11,  the  same  entrance 
side  with  the  rear  end). 


^^^^mM^ 


[Fig.  11.] 


In  tlie  view  before  us,  the  architecture  is  the  same,  but  the 
end  window  is  stripped  of  tlie  l)racket  overhung  with  clustering 
vines,  and  tlie  cottage  wants  the  softening  and  humanizing 
expression  which  these  accessories  give  to  Fig.  9. 

A  hay-wmdow^  such  as  that  seen  in  the  liv-iug-room,  Fig.  10, 
since  it  does  not  of  necessity  belong  to  a  small  cottage,  raises 
the  character  of  such  a  cottage  wherever  it  is  simply  and 
tastefully  introduced.  It  also  adds  very  considerably  to  tlie 
agreeal)le  effect  of  the  apartment  itself — giving  an  air  of  some 
dignity  to  even  the  smallest  dwelling. 

The  little  rustic  arbore  or  covered  seats  on  the  outside  of  the 
bay-window  may  l)c  supposed  to  answ^er  in  some  measure  in 
the  place  of  a  veranda,   and  convey,  at  the  fii'st  glance,  an 


DESIGNS   FOR   COTTAGES.  81 

impression   of  refinement   and    taste    attained   in  that  simple 
manner  so  appropriate  to  a  small  cottage. 

Accom/modation.  The  plan  of  the  fiji'st  floor  of  this  cottage 
(Fig.  10)  shows  an  entry,  six  by  twelve  feet,  containing  a  flight 
of  stairs  to  the  chamber  floor,  under  which  are  stands  to  the 
cellar.  On  the  left  is  the  living-loom  of  the  family,  fifteen  by 
seventeen  feet.  The  deep  chimney-breast  at  the  end  of  the 
room  gives  space  for  two  large  closets.  The  bay-window  mea- 
sures six  feet  in  the  opening  (in  the  clear),  and  is  three  feet 
deep. 

On  the  right  of  the  entry  is  the  kitchen,  a  smaU  room,  ten  by 
twelve  feet.  As  the  living-room  of  the  family  will,  in  a  great 
measure,  be  also  the  kitchen,  this  small  kitchen  -s^nll  in  fact  be 
used  as  a  Jac^kitchen  for  the  rough-work,  washing,  etc.,  so 
that  in  summer,  and  indeed  at  any  time,  the  living-room  can 
be  made  to  have  the  comfortable  aspect  of  a  cottage  parlor,  by 
confining  the  rough-work  to  the  kitchen  proper.  Back  of  this 
kitchen  is  a  small  lean-to  addition,  containing  a  small  pantiy, 
four  by  six  feet,  and  a  place  for  coals.  There  is  a  small 
passage  between  this  closet  or  pantiy  and  the  coal-hole,  and 
op]30site  the  door  opening  fi*om  the  kitchen  into  this  passage,  is 
a  door  which  serves  as  a  back  door  to  enter  the  kitchen  without 
going  in  the  front  entrance. 

Fig.  12  shows  the  chamber  floor, 
with  two  bed-rooms,  each  nine  by 
fifteen  feet,  and  one  bed-room  ten 
by  twelve  feet.  Flues,  with  places 
for  stove-pipes,  are  shown  in  two 

[Fig.  12.    Chamber  Floor.]  of  thcSC  rOOmS. 

V<M'iation  of  the  plan.    This  plan  may  be  easily  varied,  so 

6 


!^2  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

US  to  give  a  more  agreeable  and  symnietrical  effect,  with  little 
additional  cost.  To  do  this,  lessen  the  depth  of  the  chimney- 
breast  at  the  end  of  the  room,  and  reject  the  two  closets  there. 
This  wonld  make  the  living-room  two  and  a  half  feet  kmger, 
or  fifteen  by  nineteen  feet  six  inches.  Next  place  the  bay-win- 
dow exactly  in  the  centre  of  the  wall,  which  would  add  to  the 
external  symmetry.  By  turning  the  place  for  coals  into  a 
closet,  with  a  door  opening  into  the  living-room,  and  having  a 
wood-house  or  coal-house  detached,  space  would  be  gained,  and 
the  arrangement  would  be  more  pleasing,  though,  perhaps,  not 
quite  so  convenient. 

Construction.  The  construction  of  this  cottage  is  the  same 
as  that  of  Design  I.  Planed-and-matched  or  rough  boards  may 
be  used  for  the  vertical  weather-boarding;  we  should  prefer 
to  have  them  rough  (if  the  cottage  is  filled-in),  and  painted 
and  sanded. 

We  have  shown  in  this  cottage  the  simplest  form  of  cottage 
window — that  is,  the  casement  window  opening  in  two  paiiB, 
from  top  to  bottom.  These  sashes  are  less  expensive  than  rising 
sashes  with  weights,  but  more  so  than  those  without  weights. 
The  latticed  sash  with  diamond  panes  we  have  introduced  as 
more  significant  of  a  cottage.  Indeed,  there  is  something  in  the 
associations  connected  with  latticed  windows  so  essentially 
rural  and  cottage-like,  that  the  mere  introduction  of  them  gives 
i\i\  air  of  poetry  to  a  house  in  the  country. 

Tlie  chimney-tops  are  built  of  l)nek,  in  a  very  simple,  but,  at 
the  same  time,  more  tasteful  manner  than  the  common  heavy 
brick  stacks  usually  seen. 

The  front  door  is  merely  covered  with  a  hood  on  brackets. 
Its  beauty  would  be  enhanced  by  nuiking  this  canopy  or  hood 


n  i:  y  1  ( ;  N    i 

^\  MMT I  nil  \\    iir.Ai  ki:ti 


I'lL'     i:i 


rn>T 

r- 

1 : 

.  it  A 

— ji-^ 

(I    a 

1 

■--.■NO            1 

lI 

f-r-r^^i-'-r-t  • 


1  RINHPAI,   ri,or>r>. 
Fiu'    1-1 


p.   N'J 


DESIGNS  FOR   COTTAGES.  83 

bolder  and  extending  it  five  feet,  making  tlie  sides  of  lattice 
work,  and  covering  the  whole  with  vines. 

EstiTTiaie.  The  whole  cost  of  this  cottage,  in  this  part  of  the 
countiy,  would  be  $512.  In  the  interior,  where  wood  is 
cheaper,  it  may  be  built  for  about  $400.  In  tliis,  we  include  a 
ceUar  under  the  kitchen  and  entiy,  but  not  under  the  living- 
room.  The  foundation  walls  of  the  latter  should  be  laid  three 
and  a  half  feet  below  the  level  of  the  ground. 


DESIGN  m. — A  Symmeti'iGal  Bracketed  Cottage. 

We  trust  our  readers  will  agree  with  us  in  looking  upon  this 
as  a  successful  example  of  a  rm'al  cottage.  It  appears  to  us  to 
combine  more  beauty,  both  of  form  and  expression,  than  the 
majority  of  designs  of  this  class,  and,  therefore,  to  be  worthy  of 
a  little  critical  examination. 

In  the  fii'st  place,  the  good  proportions  of  this  cottage  sti-ike 
the  eye.  It  is  neither  too  high  nor  too  low.  The  eaves  could 
not  be  raised  or  lowered  a  foot  without  more  or  less  disturbing 
this  balance  between  the  upper  and  lower  portions  of  the 
building. 

Perhaps  the  first  charm  which  this  cottage  has  for  the  eye, 
arises  from  its  symmetry.  There  is  such  a  direct  and  real 
pleasm-e  in  this  balance  of  three  parts  made  by  an  arrangement 
like  this,  when  a  leading  feature,  like  the  gabled  window  in  the 
front  of  this  cottage,  is  placed  exactly  in  the  centre,  that  the 
eye  has  something  of  the  same  satisfaction  in  contemplating  it 
that  the  ear  has  in  listening  to  the  rhythm  of  easy  and  correct 
versification. 


84  OOITNTRY   HOUSES. 

Th(>u«;h  small,  this  cottage  is  not  wanting  in  variety;  and 
though  there  is  not  enough  variety  to  allow  of  harmony,  yet 
the  whole  displays  an  entire  unity  of  feeling.  Take  away 
the  gahled  window,  and  the  porch  ornament,  and  substitute  a 
straight-lined  roof  and  a  plain,  common  doorway,  and  the  front 
loses  its  symmetr}',  and  falls  to  the  rank  of  plain  regularity. 

But  the  gi'eatest  charm  of  this  cottage  to  om-  eyes,  is  the 
expression  of  simple  but  refined  home-beauty  which  it  conveys. 
No  pereon  would  build  such  a  quaint  yet  modest  porch  as  this, 
no  une  would  give  this  simple  character  of  beauty  to  the 
win<lows,  and  no  one  would  reach  this  exact  height  of  tasteful 
simpHcity  in  the  whole  exterior  character,  unless  he  had  a  real 
appreciation  of  the  beautiful  and  tnithful  in  cottage  life,  rather 
than  that  false  ambition  which  leads  men  to  make  small 
cottages  ape  great  villas.  The  o-v^nier  of  this  cottage  either 
lives  ill  a  climate  so  far  iiortli  that  he  needs  no  veranda,  or  he 
feels  that  he  cannot  afford  one :  but  the  pretty  little  open  porch, 
with  its  overhanging  window  and  its  seat,  where,  in  the  cooler 
houi-s  of  the  day,  the  husband,  the  wife,  and  the  children  may 
sit  and  enjoy  the  fresh  breath  of  morning  or  evening  hours, 
convey  an  idea  of  something  beyond  the  merely  physical  wants, 
quite  as  forcibly  as  the  veranda  usually  does. 

Altogether,  this  cottage  evinces  much  of  absolute  and 
relative  beauty — the  universal  beauty  of  form,  and  the 
relative  beauty  of  refined  puqioses.  "Without  recommend- 
ing it  as  a  model  cottage,  we  shoidd  be  glad  to  find  that 
dwellings  of  this  simply  beautiful  cliaracter  become  greater 
favorites,  with  those  of  our  countrymen  who  build  cottages, 
than  designs  of  more  ]iretension.  We  cannot  but  look  upon 
it  as  greatly  superior  in  truthful  beauty  of  character  to  cottages 


DESIGNS   FOR   COTTAGES.  86 

of  this  class  highly  decorated,  as  we  frequently  see  them,  with 
overwrought  verge  boards  on  all  the  gables,  and  an  excess  of 
fanciful  and  flowing  ornaments  of  a  card-board  character. 

Accommodation.  The  plan  of  this  house.  Fig.  14,  is  that  of 
a  very  simple  cottage,  with  only  a  living-room,  bed-room, 
and  kitchen  on  one  floor.  The  arrangement  of  this  flooi-, 
however,  shows  a  good  deal  of  compactness  and  conve- 
nience for  a  small  family.  The  porch  or  entry,  d,  is  5  feet 
wide,  opening  on  one  side  into  the  living-room,  and  on  the 
other  into  the  bed-rooni — each  14  by  16  feet.  Each  of 
these  rooms  has  a  closet,  a.  The  living-room  has  an  open 
grate,  or  fire-place:  the  bed-room  may  have  an  open  fire- 
place or  a  stove  flue,  as  the  occupant  pleases. 

The  back  entry  is  shown  at  h — also  5  feet  wide.  This 
back  entry  communicates  with  the  living-room,  the  kitchen, 
and  the  bed-room — as  well  as  with  the  open  air  by  a  back  door 
opposite  h.  This  door  opens  on  a  landing  or  platform  with  a 
railing  on  the  left-hand  side,  to  guard  the  stone  steps  which  on 
that  side  descend  to  the  cellar.  This  back  entry,  5,  also 
contains  the  stall's  to  the  chamber  floor.  These  stairs,  placed 
as  they  are  in  this  back  entry,  are  much  more  conveniently 
located,  for  all  parties,  than  if  placed  in  one  near  the  front 
door — while  they  are  accessible  from  all  the  rooms,  without,  as 
is  often  the  case  in  small  cottages,  being  located  in  any  one  of 
the  rooms. 

The  kitchen,  12  by  14  feet,  is  lighted  by  two  windows,  and 
has  a  well-lighted  pantry  4  by  7  feet,  as  well  as  another  closet, 
(?,  for  cooking  utensils,  etc.  In  this  closet,  a  partition  is  shown 
by  the  dotted  lines.  This  closet,  c,  may  be  left  entire  by 
omitting  this  partition,   when   it  would  make   a  good   store- 


86 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


room.  iVs  it  now  stands,  the  portion  nearest  the  .bed-room 
would  make  a  second  closet  for  the  latter  apartment.  A  large 
brick  oven  is  shown  alongside  the  fire-place,  the  body  of  which 
runs  under  the  staii-s. 


9XJ0 


9x14 


13X16 


UPPER. 
ENTRY  t 


A 

8X15 


13X16 


[Fig.  15.     Chatiiber  Floor.] 

The  second  floor  of  this  cottaujo,  Fig.  1.5,  gives  a  gi-oat  deal 
of  sleeping  accommodation  for  a  dwelling  of  this  sizc-^no  less 
than  five  good  bed-rooms.*  T\\«>  of  these  bed-rooms  are  quite 
large  cottage  rooms,  13  by  16  feet,  and  the  othei's  sufficiently 
large  for  children.  Tlie  neat  little  bed-room,  A,  with  the 
hanging  window  over  the  porch,  though  only  8  l)y  15,  would  be 
a  pretty  apartment  for  the  eldest  daughter — where  she  would 
have  an  opportunity  to  arrange  her  little  cottage  boudoir  to 
show  her  own  taste. 


*  Hy  an  iTror  in  tniiispo.sing  the  drawing,  the  position  of  the  stairs  in  the  Figs.  14 
and  16  do  not  corrospond.  Tlic  stairs  in  Fig.  15  should  occupy  the  space  on  the 
lrf(  of  the  upper  entry,  wliore  the  closet  now  stands,  instead  of  being  on  the  right  of 
tlie  entry. 


DESIGNS   FOR   COITAGES.  87 

A  cellar  under  the  kitchen  wing  of  this  cottage  would  be 
sufficient  in  most  cases.  In  this  case,  a  good  stone  foundation, 
3  feet  deep,  should  be  laid  under  the  main  building. 

Variation  in  jplan.  As  there  is  sufficient  bed-room  accom- 
modation in  the  second  floor  of  this  cottage  for  most  families, 
the  plan  of  the  first  floor  might  be  improved  by  turning  the  bed- 
room into  a  parlor.  In  this  case  the  two  closets,  «,  a  (Fig. 
14),  may  be  dispensed  with,  so  that  the  two  rooms  might 
communicate  bj  large  doors — the  closets  being  moved  to  the 
entiy  space  between  the  bed-room  and  the  back  entry,  5,  which 
would  no  longer  need  to  be  left  open — this  would  leave  an  open 
space  with  doors  five  feet  wide  at  «,  on  one  side  of  which  would 
be  the  front  entry,  rZ,  and  on  the  other,  the  altered  closets.  This 
would  give  a  much  more  spacious  and  agreeable,  as  well  as 
more  airy  and  cheerful  character  to  the  principal  rooms  of  this 
cottage  with  no  additional  cost. 

Construction.  This  is  a  wooden  cottage,  and  the  vertical 
boarding  already  described  is  the  mode  adopted  in  covering  the 
exterior.  The  roof,  which  projects  2  feet  at  the  eaves,  is 
supported  on  plain  rafter  brackets. 

The  porch,  though  simple,  being  somewhat  novel,  we  give  a 
sectional  working  drawing  (to  the  scale  of  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
to  a  foot).  This  dra-sving  shows  the  profile  of  this  porch.  ISTow, 
in  order  to  convey  the  proper  expression  of  strength  and 
solidity,  the  perpendicular  brackets  of  this  porch,  «,  should  be 
made  of  heavy  plank,  not  less  than  4  inches  thick,  so  that  it 
shall  not  have  a  meager  and  paltry  appearance  when  ex- 
ecuted ;  h  shows  the  floor  of  the  bed-room  nmning  out  in 
the  hanging  window;  <?,  the  projection  of  the  roof  over  this 
window. 


COUNTRY    HOUSES. 


[Fig.  16.    Si-cliuii  of  I'orcli.] 

Cottage  casement  window.  Having  sho"s\ni  in  Fig.  8,  a 
cottage  window  witli  rising  sa.slios,  we  here  give  a  casement 
window,  suitable,  in  size  and  proportion,  for  cottages  of  this 
class,  and  adapted  in  constniction  to  vertical-boarded  wooden 
cottages. 

One  of  the  glaring  .sins  of  our  country  carpentry  is  the 
want  of  character  in  the  windows  of  our  wooden  houses.  To 
give  character  to  a  window,  the  dressings  should  have  some 
boldness  and  weight  of  substance,  othei-wise  it  looks  like  a 
mere  hole  in  the  wall.     A  piece  of  window  frame  an  inch  or 


DESIGNS   FOK   COTTAGES. 


89 


two  wide,  seen  on  the  outside  of  the  building,  is  not  sufficient  to 
produce  any  impression  on  the  eye  at  the  distance  of  fifty  rods. 
The  wooden  cottage  window  should  therefore  have  a  dressing, 
not  less  than  3  or  4  inches  wide,  and  in  some  cases  they  may 
be  still  bolder. 

The  window  here  shown  is  one  designed  especially  for  this 
style  of  building  before  us.  The  hood  over  the  window  may 
be  adopted  or  not,  but  it  adds  beauty  and  force  to  the  win- 


[Fig.  17.    Casement  Cottage  Window.] 


90  CJOUNTRT    HOUSES. 

dow,  individually,  and  l)ring3  it  more  completely  into  harmony 
with  the  other  features,  and  especially  ^\  itli  the  projecting  roof. 

In  Fig.  IT,  A  A,  represents  the  elevation,  C  D,  the  j^rofile 
section,  and  E  F,  the  horizontal  section  or  plan  of  this 
window,  all  draNNTi  to  the  scale  given  iu  the  figure,  of  half  an 
inch  to  a  foot.  The  hood  a,  sill  J,  and  facings  <?,  are  made  of 
good  sound  plank,  not  less  than  2  inches  thick  (and  better 
2|  inches) ;  c  is  5  inches  wide,  the  mullion  in  the  centre  of  the 
Avindow,  (7,  being  of  the  same  width.  The  battens^  e,  extend 
down  over  the  top  of  the  hood  in  this  window,  which  gives  it  a 
more  picturesque  character  than  in  Fig.  12. 

"We  have  shown  lattice  or  diamond  sashes  in  this  window, 
and  in  most  of  our  cottage  windows,  not  because  we  think  this 
fonn  of  sash  indispensable,  but  that  we  think  it  most  expressive 
of  that  simple,  mstic  beauty,  which  belongs  to,  and  as  we  have 
already  remarked,  is  so  strongly  associated  with,  cottage  life  in 
the  country.  Any  one  who  prefers  large  panes,  set  in  square 
sashes,  may  adopt  them  instead,  but  he  Mill  sacrifice  something 
of  the  poetiy  in  order  to  gain  perhaps  a  little  more  of  utility 
and  economy. 

Tlie  iiiullion^  as  the  central  division  of  this  window,  d^  is 
called,  is,  we  think,  a  very  expressive  and  important  feature. 
It  is  not  only  useful  as  a  post,  for  the  centre  of  casement  sashes 
to  shut  against,  but  takes  away  from  the  leanness  of  a  common 
window  frame.  Besides  this,  it  lessens  both  the  Ijreadth  ul' 
sash,  as  well  as  the  breadth  of  outside  blind  necessaiy  in  a 
window  of  a  given  size  and  j^roportion.  A  broad  mullion  like 
this  gives,  also,  not  unfrequently  an  opportunity  in  certain 
parts  of  the  houijc,  to  divide  closets  or  rooms  liy  abutting  a 
partition  against  it,  so  that  two  closets,  or  two  small  apartments 


DESIGNS   FOE   COTTAGES.  91 

may  be  liglited  witli  one  window — which  is  something  that 
could  never  be  done  with  good  effect  in  a  common  window. 

Indeed,  so  much  do  we  value  the  mullion  in  houses  of  this 
style  that  we  would  retain  it  even  where  rising  sashes  are  used, 
and  would  make  these  sashes  hannonize  with  it  by  having  a 
broad  style  in  the  centi-e  of  the  sash  opposite,  or  behind  the 
mullion,  which  would  conceal  the  mullion  fi'om  the  inside  and 
bring  it  into  keeping  on  the  outside  of  the  window. 

Where  outside  shutter  blinds  are  to  be  used,  as  they  now  are 
almost  universally  in  this  country,  the  brackets,  ?',  under  the 
hood,  must  be  kept  high  enough  to  allow  the  shuttei'S  to  open 
and  shut  freely  without  touching  them.  Though  we  think 
windows  of  this  kind  are  greatly  improved  by  the  introduction 
of  the  mullion,  yet  the  general  effect  will  not  be  injm-ed  by  its 
omission. 

The  chimneys  of  this  cottage  may  be  taken  as  an  example 
of  the  most  simple  treatment  of  common  materials — brick  and 
mortar,  with  little  or  no  increase  of  expense.  A  common  brick 
chimney  (see  Design  Y.)  gives  no  positive  pleasure  by  its 
form,  because  that  fonn  is  lumjpish  and  unmeaning.  To  make 
a  chimney  fonn  interesting,  however  simple  it  may  be,  it  must 
be  divided  into  tln-ee  parts,  viz.  a  base,  a  shaft,  and  a  cap.  A 
chimney  should  never  spring  out  of  the  roof  with  no  apparent 
preparation  for  it,  but  a  base  more  or  less  wide  should  always 
be  shown,  upon  which  the  part  exi^osed  may  evidently  rest  and 
obtain  a  solid  foundation  to  withstand  hig-h  winds.  After 
dividing  a  chimney  top  into  three  parts,  the  next  point  of  art  is 
to  jpi'oportion  the  whole  so  that  it  may,  in  the  fii-st  place,  have 
the  most  agreeable  form,  and  in  the  second  place,  a  fonn  in 
keeping  with  the  rest  of  the  dwelling. 


92  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

Tlie  first  story  of  this  cottage  is  10  feet,  and  the  second 
8^  feet  liigh.  Both  stories  to  be  fiu-nished  with  brown  walls, 
the  bed-rooms  to  be  whitewashed,  and  the  two  best  rooms  to  be 
papered. 

Estimate.  Tlie  estimated  cost  of  this  cottage,  on  the  Hudson, 
18  $975. 

In  portions  of  the  comitry  where  materials  are  much  cheaper 
it  may  be  erected  for  from  $600  to  $700. 


DESIGN   IV. — A   small   Cottage  of  BncJc  and    Stucco^  in  the 

Gothic  Style. 

In  this  design  we  have  a  much  more  architectural  cottage 
than  the  foregoing  ones,  and  one  built  in  solid  materials.  Stone, 
indeed,  would  most  perfectly  express  the  spirit  of  this  design, 
but,  except  in  a  few  cases  when  it  could  be  very  easily  and 
cheaply  obtained,  brick  and  stucco,  or  rubble  stone  and  rough- 
cast, must  necessarily  be  used  to  bring  it  within  the  means  of 
the  occupant. 

Wlien  we  say  this  design  is  more  architectural  than  the 
foregoing,  we  nnist  be  underetood  to  mean  that  it  is  more 
ex'pressive  of  architectural  style.  The  pointed  windows  in  the 
sleeping  rooms,  and  especially  the  triple,  lancet-shaped  window 
in  the  nearest  gable,  as  well  as  the  finished  character  of 
the  bay-window,  would  seem  to  indicate  the  expenditure  of 
more  means  than  is  generally  at  the  command  of  the  occupant 
of  a  cottage  of  two  or  three  rooms  on  a  floor.  Tlie  principles 
which  we  have  already  laid  down,  therefore,,  would  lead  us 
either  to  consider  this  design  as  intended  for  the  cardenerV 


D  K  S  I  G  N     1  V 


Fiz    ]- 


VRINriPAL    FLOOR. 

Fig.  19. 


P    'J2. 


DESiaNS   FOK   COTTAGES.  93 

house  or  gate-lodge  on  a  gentleman's  place,  where  sufficient 
architectural  style  to  harmonize  with  the  general  air  of  the 
estate  is  permissible,  or  to  simplify  it  so  as  to  render  it 
sufficiently  truthful  to  express  the  life  and  means  of  the 
occupant. 

To  do  this  it  will  only  be  necessary  to  substitute  single 
square-headed  windows  in  the  attic  rooms  instead  of  those 
shown  in  the  plan,  and  to  give  the  bay-window  a  rather 
more  simple  form.  Tlie  rest  of  the  house  may  remain  as  it 
is  at  present. 

As  contrasted  with  the  last  plan,  this  little  cottage  is  an 
UTegular  one,  or  its  form  is  one  of  the  iri'egularly  symme- 
trical kind.  It  will,  therefore,  please  those  who  prefer  pic- 
turesque, to  more  regular  beauty  of  form.  Its  little  porch, 
bay-window,  and  clustered  chimney-tops  render  it  expressive 
of  more  refinement  and  cultivation  than  we  generally  see  in 
a  cottage — though  in  the  design  as  presented  in  the  engraving 
there  is,  as  w^e  have  said,  so  much  science  combined  with 
the  expression  that  one  does  not  feel  at  a  glance,  that  the 
refinement  all  springs  from  the  heart  and  mind  of  the  inmates 
themselves,  as  in  Design  11. 

Accommodation.  Tlie  living-room  of  this  dwelling,  16  feet 
square  (see  Fig.  19),  is  a  remarkably  nice  apartment  for  a 
cottage,  and  being  not  only  dignified  with  a  fine  bay-window, 
but  forming,  as  it  does,  a  separate  portion  of  the  cottage,  it 
gives  this  floor  an  air  of  superior  comfort.  There  is  a 
small  closet  for  china  on  the  right  of  the  fire-place  in  this 
room.  The  door  on  the  left  of  this  fire-place  opens  into  the 
back  entiy,  in  which  is  placed  the  fiight  of  stairs  to  the 
second  floor,  beneath  which  descends  the  flight  to  the  cellar. 


94 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


There  is  a  sort  of  double  porcli,  the  fii-st  part  (marked 
umhraije  on  the  plan)  being  open,  and  the  second  part,  being 
the  porch  proper,  ^vhic•h  is  closed.  By  making  the  door 
between  these  a  large  one,  the  whole  of  this  is  turned  into  a 
cool  and  pleasant  little  shaded  passage  or  veranda  in  summer. 

Tlie  kitchen,  14  by  IG  feet,  has  a  square  flue  in  the  comer  to 
admit  the  pipe  of  a  kitchen  cooking-stove,  the  peculiar  conveni- 
ence of  American  cottages.  In  the  rear  of  the  kitchen  is  a  small 
r(jom  8  feet  square,  which  may  be  used  as  a  large  pantry,  or 
storerroom  (with  a  smaller  closet  in  the  rear),  or  as  a  back 
kitchen  or  wash-room,  as  best  suits  the  wants  of  the  occupant. 
There  is  also  a  closet  at  the  back  of  this  room,  with  an 
entrance  under  the  stall's  and  near  the  back  door,  which  is 
intended  for  "  stove-wood." 

The  plan  of  the  chamber  floor,  Fig.  20,  shows  three  bed- 
rooms— two  of  ample  size,  and  the  third  smaller — 8  by  12  feet. 

A  cellar  under  the  whole  of  this 
cottage,  except  the  living-room, 
will  probably  be  large  enough  for 
I  lie  wants  of  such  a  family  as 
would  occupy  it. 

CoNSTKUcnoN.  Til  is  cottiige 
coidd  in  many  localities  be  built 
of  rubble  or  cobble  stones,  and 
cemented  externally  at  a  very 
moderate  cost,  so  as  to  give  the  efiect  of  the  perspective  eleva- 
tion. Or  it  may  be  built  with  hollow  brick  walls,  as  explained 
in  the  preceding  section,  and  covered  with  stucco  on  the  exterior. 
As  the  roof,  liowever,  docs  not  project,  it  does  not  ofier  so  good 
a  protection  to  stucco  as  we  desire  in  this  climate.     Tlie  best 


[Fig.  20.    Ikxond  ri(Hir.J 


I'KSICN     V. 


I ■      J—  1,_1 I  ll-U-l   I    L  I    1 


IIJI.MirAI.     Kl.iJOl! 

Kin  -i-i 


DESIGNS  FOR  COTTAGES. 


95 


mode,  therefore,  would  be  to  build  a  hollow  16  inch  brick  wall, 
with  a  plain  stone  coping  to  the  gables,  and  color  the  whole  with 
the  wash  for  brick  walls,  described  in  a  succeeding  page.  The 
chimney  tops  shown  in  the  elevation  are  a  pair  of  the  Gamkirk 
fire-brick  material,  sold  by  Jas.  Lee  &  Co.,  of  ISTew  York 
and  Boston,  at  $6  each — which  have  an  excellent  efiect,  and 
are  durable  in  our  climate. 


[Fig.  21.    Section  of  Window.] 

Fig.  21  shows  a  section  of  a  Gothic  window,  suitable  for  this 
cottage ;  A,  B,  show  the  splayed  jambs  of  the  exterior ;  C,  is 
the  mullion;  D,  the  sash.  To  make  a  casement  sash  like  this 
perfectly  tight,  if  there  are  no  outside  blinds  to  protect  it 
against  driving  stoims,  it  is  necessary  to  mould  the  small 
heel,  e,  on  the  outer  corner  of  the  sash;  this,  shutting  into  a 
corresponding  hollow,  prevents  the  most  violent  storm  from 
entering. 

Esiiinate.  K  cut  stone  labels  and  coping  are  used  for  this 
cottage  it  will  cost  $1200.  K  moulded  brick  are  used  for  the 
labels  (lintels)  over  the  windows,  and  common  stone,  hammer- 
dressed,  for  the  coping,  it  may  be  built  for  $996. 


DESIGN  V. — A   WorTcmg^man's  Model  Cottcbge. 
Our  object,  in  this  design,  is  to  give  the  greatest  amount  of 


96  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

accommodation  and  convenience,  at  the  smallest  cost,  for  the 
dwelling  of  a  large  family  who  live  in  a  very  simple  and 
economical  manner.  Wliile  the  exterior  is,  therefore,  veiy 
plain,  the  least  ix>ssible  ornament  being  used,  there  is  still  an 
expression  of  8}inmetrical  beauty,  and  a  certain  cheerfulness 
of  external  effect.  It  is  certainly  a  cottage  which  will  convey 
an  idea  of  taste  in  the  occupants,  so  far  as  the  exterior  is 
concerned. 

The  interior  is  one  which  contains  a  great  deal  of  room, 
most  compactly  and  conveniently  arranged — so  arranged,  in 
short,  as  to  enable  the  inmates  wholly  to  "  do  their  own  work," 
if  either  inclination  or  necessity  prompts  them,  without  any 
loss  of  convenience,  or  the  necessity  of  taking  any  minecessary 
steps. 

Tlie  exterior  of  this  cottage  would  be  raised  in  character  as 
well  as  comfort,  by  a  veranda,  like  that  in  Design  IX.  This 
could  easily  be  added ;  but  we  have  preferred  in  this  example 
to  make  the  interior  accommodation  the  fu*st  object. 

AccoiMODATioN.  The  rooms  in  this  cottage  are  none  of 
them  large,  but  they  are  all  snug^  and  their  number  and 
connection  compensate  for  the  want  of  extra  size  in  any  one 
apartment. 

The  entry  (see  Fig.  23)  is  7  feet  wide.  It  contains  a  flight 
of  st^iii-s  to  the  second  floor.  At  A,  is  a  door,  opening  which, 
you  descend  the  cellar  stall's,  which  occupy  the  space  mider 
the  highest  portion  of  the  other  flight. 

The  living-room,  Mhich  is  the  common  family- room,  eating- 
room,  and  almost  every  thing  else,  in  such  a  cottage,  measures 
12  by  14  feet.  It  has  a  well-lighted  pantry  opening  into  it. 
Close  adjoining  the  living-room,  and  connected  with  it  by  a  door, 


DESIGNS   FOR  COTTAGES.  9T 

is  the  kitclien.  The  kitchen  opens  directly  "  out  of  doors,"  and 
this  door,  which  is  virtually  the  back  door,  may  be  protected 
by  a  temporary  porch  in  winter — if  desirable.  B,  is  a  small 
room  which  may  be  used  as  a  store-room,  if  there  is  a  wood- 
house  near  the  house ;  or  if  not,  it  may  be  used  for  keeping 
stove-wood  or  fuel  for  the  kitchen  and  living-room.  Tliere  is 
a  closet  for  crockery,  ect.,  at  the  side  of  the  chimney  flue  in 
the  kitchen. 

Out  of  the  kitcnen  opens  a  bed-room  11  by  12  feet. 
This  may  be  used  as  the  bed-room  of  the  master  and  mis- 
tress, in  which  case  it  must  have  a  large  wardrobe-closet 
placed  in  it,  and  in  which  case  also,  it  will  always  be  most 
convenient  and  comfortable  in  winter  from  its  proximity  to 
the  kitchen,  which  the  mistress  of  such  a  cottage  as  this 
is  supposed  not  to  be  able  to  have  too  near  her  for  her 
own  supervision.  Or  it  may  be  kept  as  a  "spare  bed-room;" 
when  the  door  and  the  entrance  to  this  room  may  be  through 
the  parlor. 

We  have  given  a  parlor  to  this  cottage,  though  in  most  cheap 
cottages,  the  living-room  is  virtually  the  parlor,  because  we 
think  in  a  cottage  with  so  much  accommodation  as  this,  there 
should  be  one  apartment  of  superior  character.  The  American 
cottager  is  no  peasant,  but  thinks,  and  thinks  correctly,  that  as 
soon  as  he  can  afford  it,  he  deserves  a  parlor,  where  he  can 
receive  his  guests  with  propriety,  as  well  as  his  wealthiest 
neighbor.  We  respect  this  feeling  entirely,  and  only  object 
to  the  parlor  when  it  is  brought  in,  to  the  exclusion  of  any 
other  apartment  more  necessary  to  the  eveiy-day  comfort  of 
the  family. 

As  this  parlor  is  less  frequently  used  in  winter,   we  have 

7 


98 


COUNTRY  UOUSES. 


shown  only  a  flue  lor  a  stove,  and  not  a  chimney  for  an  open 
fire-place  or  grate,  as  in  the  living-room. 

All  of  that  part  of  this  cottage  required  f<  ir  daily  ilsc,  viz, 
the  living-room,  kitchen,  bed-room,  pantry,  and  room  for  stores 
or  fuel,  are  so  connected  together  that  they  can,  if  necessaiy, 
be  wanned  by  one  fire,  and  not  a  step  need  be  lost  in 
conducting  the  business  of  the  household,  K  B  is  used  as  a 
place  for  fuel,  it  should  have  an  outer  door  for  receiving  the 
same,  and  there  should  also  be  an  outside  cellar  door  (with 
steps)  in  the  rear  of  the  house,  to  allow  vegetables,  &c,,  to  be 
taken  in  without  passing  through  the  entiy.  This  cellai*  door 
may  be  j^laced  under  the  window  in  the  bed-room,  so  as  to  be 
convenient  of  access  to  the  back  door  of  the  kitchen. 

Tlie  flue  in  the  kitchen  is  drawn  into  the  dining-room 
chimney-breast. 


[Fig.  2-J.    Chamber  Floor.] 


The  chamber  floor  of  this  cottage  (Fig,  24)  contains  four 
good  bed-rooms,  all  provided  with  excellent  closets.  The  two 
largest  bed-rooms  should  have  openings  left  in  the  flues  for 
etove-pipes,  and  the  bed-room  10  by  12  may  also  be  warmed 


DESIGNS  FOR  COTTAGES.  99 

by  a  stove,  by  conveying  the  pipe  (high  enough  to  walk  under) 
across  the  small  entry  into  one  of  the  stove  flues  from  the 
living-room  chimney  stack. 

CoNSTKUCTioN.  For  the  construction  of  this  cottage,  we 
refer  the  reader  to  Design  I.  Vertical  boarding  with  plain 
battens  and  the  boards  left  rough,  and  colored  with  the  cottage 
wash  (given  in  a  succeeding  page),  the  whole  filled  in  with 
brick  on  edge,  would  be  a  very  satisfactory  mode  of  building 
for  it.  In  many  parts  of  the  country,  it  may,  however, 
not  be  necessary  to  fill  in  the  fi'ame,  and  then,  matched  and 
planed  plank  may  be  used,  and  the  exterior  painted  two  coats 
and  sanded,  for  about  the  same  cost.  Indeed  the  difference  in 
cost  between  rough  boards  (unmatched),  and  matched  and 
planed  boards,  when  the  latter  can  be  bought  machine-planed, 
would  be  only  about  $6  for  the  whole  of  this  cottage. 

For  the  form  and  construction  of  the  windows  of  this 
cottage,  we  refer  to  Fig.  8.  The  windows  shown  by  our 
engraver  in  Fig.  22,  are  not  so  well  proportioned  as  those  built 
after  Fig.  8  would  appear  when  executed. 

Estimate.  Supposing  a  cellar  to  be  made  under  the  whole 
of  this  cottage,  the  construction  such  as  we  have  pointed  out, 
and  the  exterior  to  be  painted  with  om"  cottage  paint,  the  cost 
here  would  be  $600 — a  very  moderate  sum  for  the  great 
amount  of  accommodation  afforded.  An  estimate  made  by  a 
builder  at  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  places  the  cost,  exclusive  of 
outside  painting,  at  $5Y5.^ 

*  Perhaps  the  cost  of  materials  and  labor  in  the  interior  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  may  be  taken  as  about  a  fair  average  for  the  country  at  large. 

The  following  is  the  general  estimate  of  labor  and  materials  of  this  working-  man's 
cottage,  made  at  our  request,  by  a  carpenter  in  Rochester : 


100 


COUNTKY   HOUSES. 


DESIGN  VI. — A  Gate-Lodge  in  the  MigUah  style. 

The  chief  merit  of  this  cottage  is  its  pictui'esqueiiess.  It  is 
as  iiTegular  as  so  small  a  cottage  can  well  be,  and  retain 
any  thing  of  symmetrical  beauty  in  its  composition.  Placed 
among  fine  groups  of  trees,  with  a  well-wooded  background, 
til  is  design  would  have  a  striking  and  most  agreeable  effect, 
because  the  variety  and  irregularity  of  its  outline  would  be 


4200  ft.  of  framing  timber, 

Framing  and  setting  partitions, 

1500  ft.  of  planed  and  matched  boards, 

420  ft  for  battens 

Labor  on  wcatlier-boarding,  including  nails, 
1152  ft.  of  sheathiug-boards  for  roof, 
Labor  and  nails  in  shoatliing, 
11^  squares  of  roof,  sliiugles,  nails  and  labor, 

1600  ft.  flooring, 

Labor  and  nails  for  laying  do., 
320  ft  of  base — G  inches  wide, 
1 1  windows  glazed  and  finished  inside  and 

4-inch  architraves, 
1 6,  4-pan(;l  doors,  with  plain  architraves, 

Stairs, 

Pantry,  closets,  shelves,  and  fixtures,     . 

Chimneys,  materials,  and  labor. 

Lead  for  valley  of  roof, 

348  yards  of  plastering,  twoK»at  work, 

Add,  for  cellar  walls,  work  and  materials. 

And  other  hardware  fixtures,  and  sundries,  etc. 


out. 


with 


plain 


$42 

00 

26 

00 

22 

50 

6 

10 

18 

00 

11 

52 

5 

00 

40 

25 

24 

00 

8 

00 

12 

00 

88 

60 

68 

00 

13 

00 

11 

50 

24 

00 

1 

75 

61 

74 

100 

00 

40 

00 

J678  86 


0  E  S  I  G  N     \- 


,Air    \y']»:] 


Fiff   2o. 


rRiNcip.M.  noon. 

Ficr.    2G 


DESIGNS  FOR  COTTAGES.  101 

supported  by  the  varied  forms  of  foliage  and  bough.  Placed 
in  an  open  space,  bare  of  trees,  where  Design  11.  would  look 
very  well,  this  design  would  appear  out  of  keeping  and 
inharmonious. 

As  the  most  economical  form  for  a  cottage  is  a  square,  and 
next  to  that  a  parallelogram,  it  is  evident  that  all  iiTegular 
cottages  are  more  costly  than  regular  ones.  Such  a  design  as 
this,  therefore,  will  not  be  chosen  by  any  one  with  whom 
economy  of  fii'st  cost  is  a  primary  consideration.  TTe  ofier  it, 
however,  either  as  an  ornamental  cottage  for  some  sma^l 
family  who  desu*e  a  snug  little  residence  for  part  of  the  year, 
or  as  a  pretty  gate-lodge  for  the  entrance  to  a  gentleman's 
place. 

The  style  of  this  design  is  the  E.m*al  Gothic,  that  beautiful 
modified  form  of  Gothic  architectm'e  which  we  adopt  fi-om 
the  English  people;  and  which  certainly  expresses  as  large  a 
union  of  domestic  feeling  and  artistic  knowledge  as  any  other 
known. 

The  outline  of  this  little  cottage  as  shown  in  the  elevation, 
is  varied  by  the  projecting  bay  in  both  stories,  with  a  truncated 
gable  over  it,  by  the  other  ornamental  gabled  window  in  the 
roof,  and  the  small  gabled  porch.  The  little  veranda  round 
the  lower  bay-window,  from  its  small  size,  and  its  not  being 
directly  connected  with  any  of  the  apartments,  is  evidently 
intended  as  much  for  ornament  as  for  enjo}Tnent.  A  veranda 
8  or  9  feet  broad  might  extend  along  one  side  of  the  cottage, 
so  as  to  cover  the  two  large  windows  of  the  living-room  and 
parlor — either  or  both  of  which',  extending  to  the  floor,  would 
give  easy  access  to  the  veranda,  and  render  it,  for  summer 
enjoyment,    equal  to   another    apartment   on   the    same   floor. 


102  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

Such  a  veranda  would  be  more  convenient  and  comfortable, 
but  not  quite  so  bannonious  and  pictui*esque  as  that  shovm  in 
the  present  elevation. 

AccoiiMODATiox.  Taking  this  plan  as  it  appears  in  Fig.  26, 
it  is  evidently  intended  for  a  small,  genteel  family.  The  hall 
or  entry,  12  by  14  feet,  is  more  spacious  than  most  cottages  of 
this  size  would  require,  and  there  is  no  kitchen  on  the  firet  floor. 
The  kitchen  for  a  family  of  this  kind,  would  be  a  basement 
room  directly  imder  the  living-room.  Its  windows  in  this  case 
must  be  lighted  by  areas,  if  the  ground  is  so  level  on  that  side 
of  the  cottage  that  the  slope  of  the  siu"face  is  not  sufficient  to 
allow  of  liohtinor  them  without  it.  The  inside  entrance  to 
this  basement  kitchen  is  by  a  flight  of  steps  descending  under 
the  stairs  in  the  hall.  All  this  is  based  upon  the  supposition 
that  the  cottage  is  occupied  by  a  small  family,  keeping 
servants. 

K  occupied  by  a  small  family  without  sen'ants,  or  as  a  gate- 
lodge,  what  is  called  the  li^•iug-room  on  the  plan,  would  become 
the  kitchen,  and  the  parlor  a  bed-room  or  a  living-room.  In 
this  case,  the  hall  might  be  turned  to  further  account  l)y 
running  a  partition  through  the  middle  of  it,  the  longest  way — 
making  half  of  it  an  entry,  6  feet  wide,  containing  the  staire, 
and  the  other  half  a  pantry  or  store-room.  This  will  enable 
us  either  to  dispense  with  the  little  wing  containing  the  panti-y 
and  store-room  at  the  end  of  the  kitchen  (living-room),  or  to 
turn  it  into  a  wash-room,  or  small  bed-room  Ti  by  15  feet. 

"We  do  nut  give  the  plan  of  the  second  floor.  K  not  much 
room  is  wanted,  it  would  mr).<t  easily  be  divided  into  three 
bed-rooms — one  over  each  of  the  two  rooms — and  a  third,  10 
by  12  feet,  over  part  of  the  hall  not  wanted  for  the  passage. 


DESIGNS   FOR   COTTAGES.  103 

(The  wing  containing  pantry  and  store-room,  is  only  one  story 
high.)  If  more  bed-rooms  are  required,  then  one  of  the  large 
rooms  can  be  divided  into  two  small  ones,  which  would  give 
fom*  bed-rooms  for  the  second  floor. 

CoxsTEucTioN.  The  roof  of  this  cottage  is  covered  with 
shingles  of  uniform  size,  the  lower  part  of  which  being  cut  to 
a  point,  they  form,  when  laid  on,  a  diamond  pattern.  (For  this 
mode  of  shingling,  see  section  on  Miscellaneous  details.)  This 
is  a  very  simple  and  effective  mode  of  increasing  the  beauty  of 
a  cottage  roof. 

Particular  attention  must  be  paid,  m  all  iiTegular  cottages  of 
this  kind,  to  the  roofing  of  the  valleys^  or  lines  where  the 
intersecting  roofe  meet — because  the  water  from  the  higher 
parts  of  the  roof  all  finds  its  way  to  these  valleys  before 
reaching  the  eaves,  and,  therefore,  if  these  valleys  are  not 
thoroughly  constinicted,  and  made  perfectly  tight,  leaky  places 
are  certain  to  show  themselves  immediately,  to  the  great 
injmy  of  the  house  and  inconvenience  of  the  inmates. 

To  make  a  tight  roof,  these  valleys  should  be  Hned  or 
covered  before  shingles  or  slates  are  laid  on,  with  broad  strips 
of  copper,  lead,  or  galvanized  iron — the  fonner  is  the  best,  and 
the  latter  the  poorest  material ;  good  thick  lead  is  most 
commonly  used  for  cottages,  being  less  expensive  than  copper. 
This  strip  of  metal  laid  down  in  the  valleys  should  be  not  less 
than  8  inches  wide, — extending  up  the  roof  each  side,  at  least 
4  inches.  In  the  best  villas,  a  still  wider  strip  of  copper  is 
used.  The  shingles  or  slates  are  laid  over  this  metal  vaUey  so 
as  to  leave  3  inches  uncovered,  the  whole  length  serving  as  a 
channel  or  gutter  from  the  top  of  the  valley  do^vu  to  the  eaves ; 
this   affords  a  free  passage  for  the  accumulated  cmTent    of 


104  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

water,  iruai-ds  against  leakage,  and  prevents  the  roof  itself  from 
decaying  or  rotting,  and  the  metal  from  rusting  in  the  angle  of 
the  valley. 

Tlie  walls  ai-e  12-inch  hollow  brick  walls,  covered  on  the 
outside  with  the  lime  and  sand  stucco  described  in  the 
preceding  section.  Tlie  ]X)rch  and  veranda  are  built  of  wood, 
painted  and  sanded  so  as  to  harmonize  in  color  with  the  stucco. 
The  roof  projects  two  feet,  and  the  ornamental  verge-boards  are 
carved  out  of  two-inch  plank.  (For  the  pattern  of  this  verge- 
l)oard  see  Fig.  29.)  The  chimney-stack  is  built  of  brick, 
four  separate  flues  in  a  cluster. 

Estimate.  The  cost  of  this  cottage,  with  basement  kitchen, 
so  as  to  fit  it  for  a  neat  little  establishment,  would  be  $1360. 
If  finished  very  plainly  inside,  and  the  living-room  turned  into 
a  kitchen,  it  may  be  built  for  about  $1100.  The  extra  cost,  as 
we  have  already  remarked,  is  owing  to  its  irregularity,  and 
the  introduction  of  so  many  decoratj^d  gables. 

DESIGN  VII.— J.  Syinmetncal  Cottage. 

Whoever  loves  symmetry  and  the  simpler  kind  of  cottage 
beauty,  including  good  proportion,  tasteful  forms,  and  chaste- 
ness  of  ornament,  we  think,  cannot  but  like  this  little  design, 
since  it  unites  all  those  requisites.  It  is  an  illustration  of  a 
cottage  made  ornamental  'with  a  very  ferifling  expense,  and 
without  sacrificing  truthfulness  to  that  kind  of  tasteful  simplicity 
which  is  the  true  touchstono  of  cottage  beauty. 

This  cottage  is  desi<j:ned  in  the  nu'al  Gothic  or  Enirlish 
manner,  but  much  modifieil,  so  as  to  adapt  it  to  almost  any  site. 
Instead  of  adopting  a  very  ornate  verge-board,  M'hich  properly 


I )  i;  S  1  G  N    V  1 . 

^  V  M  M  K  Ti; ICA  L    1  -UTTAGE. 


^■^r 


n.r  07 


VKIMMl'AI.    ri.O" 

Fiii.  27 


ini 


DESTfiNS   FOR   COTTAOES. 


105 


belongs  to  a  villa,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  form  here  shown  (of 
which  Fig.  29  is  a  portion,  to  a  scale  of  ^  inch  to  a  foot)  is  so 


[Fig.  29.    Verge-Board.] 


simple  as  to  be  easily  executed  without  fear  of  its  falling  into  the 
gingerbread  character.    It  should  be  made  of  two-inch  plank. 

The  light,  open  porch  of  this  cottage  may  be  omitted 
without  injm'ing  the  design,  but  it  gives  the  front  an  air  of  so 
much  feeling  and  refinement,  aside  from  its  manifest  utility, 
that  we  should  always  hope  to  see  it  adopted  by  those  about  to 
execute  the  design.  [For  the  details  of  front  windows,  see 
section  on  Miscellaneous  Details.] 

Accommodation.  The  plan  of  this  cottage  (Fig.  28),  though 
not  so  simple  as  the  foregoing,  is  still  by  no  means  complex. 
Tliere  is,  however,  a  much  greater  combination  of  the 
agreeable  and  the  useful  here,  than  in  Design  lY. — since  the 
kitchen  is  on  the  same  floor  with  the  living-room.  Many 
families  would  prefer  to  use  the  room  marked  "  parlor"  in  the 
plan,  as  a  bed-room,  and,  if  so  used,  the  cottage  would  be  a 
very  complete  one  for  a  small  family — having  living-room, 
bed-room,  pantiy,  etc.,  on  the  same  floor.  But  to  others  who 
would  prefer  to  have  no  bed-room  on  this  floor,  a  parlor  would 
be  looked  upon  as  far  more  important. 


100 


CJOTJNTRT   HOUSES. 


Ill  the  plan  c>f  this  floor,  A  is  the  porcli,  from  wliich  we  enter 
the  hall  or  entry,  8  feet  wide — with  the  two  best  rooms,  each 
16  by  18  feet,  on  either  side  of  it.  Connected  with  the  livmg- 
roora,  in  its  rear,  is  a  good  j)antry.  13  is  the  back-entry 
communicating  with  tlic  kitchen.  C  is  the  back-porch,  which 
may  be  left  open  in  summer  and  enclosed  in  winter,  when  it 
will  serve  as  a  place  for  coal  and  wood.  On  one  side  of  tlie 
kitchen  fireplace  is  a  closet,  and  on  the  other  a  sink,  into  which, 
if  possible,  a  water-pipe  should  be  brought. 

The  second  floor  of  this  cottage, 


[Fig.  30.    Chamber  Floor.] 


Fig.  30,  shows  5  bed-rooms.  B  is  the  balcony  on  the  porch ; 
C  C  are  closets.  The  two  stacks  of  chimneys  may  be  drawn 
over  in  the  garret,  and  united  to  form  one,  as  shown  in  Fig.  27, 
or  they  may  bo  carried  up  separately. 


DESIGNS   FOR  COTTAGES. 


107 


The  effect  of  the  two  best  rooms  on  the  principal  floor  of 
this  house  will  be  simple  and  chaste  if  they  are  tastefully  papered 
and  painted.  A  variation  might  be  made  by  cutting  off  the 
comers  of  the  parlor,  thus  turning  it  into  a  small  octagon  room. 
The  space  in  those  corners,  not  occupied  by  dooi-s,  might  then 
be  finished  with  simple  bookcases  built  in  the  walls.  By  not 
carrj-ing  these  bookcases  to  the  floor,  a  space  would  be  1^1; 
below  them  for  a  couch  or  divan,  which  would  have  a  pretty 
effect.    (See  Fig.  31,  a  sketch  of  the  octagonal  comer.) 


[Fig.  31.    The  Parlor  finished  aa  an  Octagon.] 


This  parlor  would  of  course  appear  larger,  and  would  cost 
less,  if  finished  with  square  comers  as  in  Fig.  28,  but  we  suggest 
the  octagon  form  to  those  who  desire  a  little  novelty. 

The  fii'st  story  of  this  cottage  is  supposed  to  be  10  feet,  and 
the  chamber  story  5  feet  on  the  sides,  and  8  feet  in  the  middle 
of  the  rooms.    The  pitch  of  the  roof  is  a  right  angle. 

As  the  entry,  or  hall,  of  this  plan  is  wide,  and  the  aiTange- 


108 


COUNTKY   HOUSES. 


intMits  both  siiu])lc  and  eoiivcuieiit,  Ave  think  it  will  be  ditiiciilt 
to  build  a  more  agreeable  cottage,  for  the  sum  proposed,  than 
the  present  design.  Though  pictm'esque  in  its  exterior,  it  is  not 
so  much  so  as  to  demand  a  highly  rural  or  picturesque  site,  but 
would  look  equally  well  either  in  the  suburbs  of  a  town  or  in 
the  midst  of  the  country. 


I 


n 


f<s^ 


a  h 

[Fig.  32.    Chimney-Tops.] 


3 


The  chimneys  in  the  elevation  show  one  of  the  forms  made 
in  Gamkirk  fii'e-clay.  Two  patterns  are  shown  in  Fig.  32, 
either  of  which  is  a  well-proportioned  and  pleasing  one  for  a 
cottage  of  this  kind — a  is  four  feet  nine  inches  high ;  Z»,  four 
feet  six  inches.  These  are  sold  by  the  importers  (Jas.  Lee  & 
Co.,  New  York  and  Boston)  at  from  $i  to  $6  each.  The  base 
for  this  chimney  (of  cormnon  brick-work)  shoidd  be  carried 


stIHUnBAN    COTTAfiK. 


I'.-    ;(:i 


VERA \ D 

»— « 

t—t 

t-1 

^J^ 

'f^ 

p.  1(19. 


DESIGNS  FOE  COTTAGES.  109 

up  a  couple  of  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ridge  of  tlie  roof, 
before  the  chimney-tops  are  set. 

Construction.  The  exterior  of  this  cottage  is  vertical 
boarding — of  planed  and  matched  floor-plank,  about  ten  inches 
wide.  The  window  frames  are  from  three  to  three  and  a  half 
feet,  inside  measure — with  a  centre  mullion  and  latticed  sashes. 
The  roof  of  the  porch  is  nearly  flat  and  roofed  with  tin,  so  as  to 
form  a  balcony  to  the  bed-room  window  over  it. 

The  house  is,  of  coiu-se,  fiUed-in  with  brick  on  edge,  set  flush 
with  the  outside  of  the  frame,  and  the  inside  walls  plastered  on 
the  face  of  the  brick. 

Estimate.  The  cost  of  this  cottage,  with  the  interior  neatly 
finished  and  painted  in  oil  color,  and  the  wood  of  the  two 
principal  rooms  grained  and  varnished  like  oak,  and  their  walls 
papered  with  suitable  paper,  all  the  other  walls  being  brown 
walls  white-washed,  would  be  $835. 

DESIGN  vm.— ^  svhurban  Cottage  in  the  ItaMcm  style. 

Tras  design  is  an  attempt  to  redeem  fi-om  the  entire  baldness 
of  some  examples  and  the  frippery  ornament  of  others,  a  class 
of  cottages  very  general  in  the  neighborhood  of  our  larger 
countiy  towns. 

"We  have  not,  of  course,  endeavored  to  give  this  cottage 
much  architectural  style.  The  projection  of  the  roof  supported 
by  cantilevers,  and  the  simple  but  bold  window  dressings,  give, 
however,  the  character  of  the  Italian  style. 

The  trellis-work  veranda  along  the  front  of  this  cottage,  and 
the  bay-window  in  the  best  apartment,  convey  at  once  an 
expression  of  beauty  arising  fi-om  a  sense  of  a  superior  comfort 


110  COHNTKY   HOUSES. 

ur  refinement  in  the  mode  of  living;  and  the  whole  exterior 
eflfect,  without  having  any  decided  architectural  raerit,  is 
one  which  we  should  be  very  glad  to  see  followed  in  suburban 
houses  of  this  class. 

As  a  country  cottage,  strictly  speaking,  by  which  we  mean  a 
house  not  in  the  midst  of  streets  and  other  subm*ban  dwellings, 
but  only  smTounded  by  green  trees  and  fields,  this  design 
might  properly  be  objected  to,  as  a  little  cockneyish .  in 
character.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  design  for  a  subitrban  dwelling. 
The  full  second  story  gives  it  a  certain  air  of  comfort  and 
space,  which  will  recommend  it  to  many  who  do  not  appreciate 
the  more  rural  expression  of  the  succeeding  design. 

Accommodation.  This  is  a  larger  and  more  expensive  cot- 
tage than  om*  previous  examples.  Though  ofiering  only  the 
same  accommodation  in  the  number  of  rooms,  the  rooms 
themselves  are  larger,  and  there  is  much  more  space  devoted 
to  passages.  The  front  entry.  Fig.  34,  is  eight  feet  wide 
and  twenty-two  feet  long,  containing  the  stairs.  The  back 
entry  is  five  feet  wide. 

The  parlor  here  is  quite  a  handsome  apartment  for  a  cottage, 
being  sixteen  by  twenty-two  feet,  with  a  bay-window,  square 
in  its  opening,  as  all  bay-windows  should  be,  in  this  style.  The 
width  of  this  window  is  eight  feet. 

Tlie  living-room,  sixteen  feet  square,  has  a  well-lighted 
pantry,  five  by  ten  feet,  and  a  small  closet  for  china  in  the  side 
passage  leading  to  the  closet.  There  is  a  small  larder,  and  a 
closet  in  the  kitchen. 

Tlie  second-story  ])lan.  Fig.  35,  is  so  simple,  that  it  requires 
little  explanation.  It  should  be  remarked,  however,  that  the 
kitchen  wing  is  not  so  high,  in  either  the  fij^t  or  second  floor, 


DESIGNS   FOR  COTTAGES. 


Ill 


by  two  feet,*  as  that  of  the  main  building — consequently,  the 
bed-room  over  the  kitchen  is  entered  from  the  la/nding — two- 
thirds  of  the  way  up  the  stairs — and  not  from  the  level  of  the 
floor  of  the  main  building  at  the  top  of  the  stairs. 


[Fig.  35.    Second  Floor.] 

Construction.  This  cottage  should  be  built  of  brick  and 
stucco,  with  sixteen-inch  hollow  walls,  or  with  smooth  brick, 
painted  of  some  pleasing  neutral  tint.  The  window  dressings, 
where  di'essed  stone  is  scarce  or  costly,  should  be  built  of  brick 
and  stuccoed — except  the  lintels  and  sills,  which  should  be  of 
dressed  stone,  colored  like  the  rest,  or  of  rough  stone  covered 
with  stucco. 

The  roof  of  this  dwelling  should 
project  twenty  inches,  and  the  shape  of 
the  bracket  or  cantilever  and  cornice  is 
shown  in  Fig.  36. 

The  front  door  should  have  the  two 


front! [ 

[Fig.  36.] 

long  panels  glazed,  so  as  to  light  the  main  entry. 


*  The  first  story  of  the  main  building  of  this  cottage  is  eleven  feet,  the  second  nine. 


112  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

The  veranda  should  be  seven  and  a  lialf  feet  in  width,  and 
bhould  not  extend  the  entire  length  of  the  front,  but  stop  a 
couple  of  feet  short  at  both  ends  (as  sho\ni  in  the  elevation). 
If  extended  along  the  whole  length,  a  veranda  has  the  disagree- 
able cflect  of  cutting  the  fat^ade  uito  two  halves,  and  destroy- 
ing its  character  and  proportion. 

Edhnatc.  Supposing  a  cellar  under  the  main  body  of  this 
house  only,  this  cottage,  if  built  in  a  substantial  manner, 
would  cost  about  $2000.  Our  estimate  is  formed  upon  the 
supposition  that  good  hard  bricks,  suitable  for  hollow  walls 
and  outside  stucco,  are  to  be  had  at  present  prices  on  the 
Hudson,  say  $3  to  $4  per  1000.  "Where  the  price  of  bricks  is 
higher,  of  com-se  that  addition  in  price  must  be  added  in  the 
estimate. 


DESIGN  IX. — A  regular^  Bracketed  Cottage. 

This  cottage  is  designed  in  one  of  the  simplest  of  all  forms — 
the  parallelogram.  As  regards  beauty  of  form,  it  does  not  rise 
so  high  as  symmetry — but  it  is  liiglier  tluiu  unifonnity.  Its 
beauty,  considered  in  the  mass,  involves  that  simple  idea  which 
we  caU  regularity.  If  every  side  were  alike,  it  would  exhibit 
uniformity,  or  if  one  fi'ont  were  divided  into  a  central  and  two 
other  equal  portions,  it  would  dis2>lay  s^Tiimctry.  We  make 
these  remarks  merely  to  assist  the  novice  in  architecture  in 
analyzing  the  sources  of  beauty  of  Ibnn,  for  himself. 

Though  there  is  not  much  beauty  of  form  in  :i  cottage  which 
is  a  simple  parallelogram,  yet  the  architect  may  bestow  beauty 
of  expression  on  such  a  fonn.     In  the  Design  before  as.  Fig.  37, 


U  b:  s^  I  G  N     1  X 

KLGLLAR    BRACKETED    COTTAi.l 


Fig.    3' 


l-r^    I    ■    Jr 


PRINCIPAL    FLOOR. 

Fig   38. 


V    lir.' 


DESIGNS   FOR  COTTAGES.  113 

there  is  an  air  of  rustic  or  rural  beauty  conferred  on  the  whole 
cottage  by  the  simple  or  veranda-like  arbor,  or  trellis,  which 
runs  round  thi-ee  sides  of  the  building ;  as  well  as  an  expres- 
sion of  picturesqueness,  by  the  roof  supported  on  ornamental 
brackets  and  casting  deep  shadows  upon  the  walls. 

To  become  aware  how  much  this  beauty  of  expression 
has  to  do  with  rendering  this  cottage  interesting,  we  have  only 
to  imagine  it  strij)ped  of  the  arbor- veranda  and  the  ]3rojecting 
eaves,  and  it  becomes  in  appearance  only  the  most  meager  and 
common-place  building,  which  may  be  a  house  or  a  barn :  at 
the  most,  it  would  indicate  nothing  more  by  its  chimneys  and 
windows,  than  that  it  is  a  human  habitation,  and  not,  as  at 
present,  that  it  is  the  dwelling  of  a  family  who  have  some 
rural  taste,  and  some  love  for  picturesque  character  in  a  house. 

We  have  said  nothing,  as  yet,  of  the  greater  value  of 
projecting  roofs  in  the  production  of  that  kind  of  beauty  called 
the  Pictm'esque.  But  in  fact,  this  is  one  of  the  simplest, 
cheapest,  and  most  effective  modes  of  giving  force  and  spirit  to 
any  building.  The  secret  source  of  the  Picturesque  is  the 
manifestation  of  Beauty  through  power ^  not,  as  in  tlie  Beautiful, 
the  concealment  of  power  under  the  external  repose  of  Beauty. 
Hence,  every  thing  that  conveys  the  idea  of  strength  or  force  in 
attaining  any  agreeable  form,  adds  to  the  picturesqueness  of 
that  form.  For  this  reason,  in  j)icturesque  architecture,  the 
rude  timbers  which  support  the  roof,  are  openly  shown,  and  in 
others,  bold  brackets  support  the  eaves,  not  only  for  actual 
support,  but  to.  suggest  the  idea  of  that  support  directly  to  the 
eye.  The  more  finished  and  polished  the  style  of  the  building, 
the  less  this  exhibition  of  power  is  pleasing,  because  the 
polish  supposes  a  perfection  and  nicety  of  construction  based 

8 


ll-i  COUNTKV    HOUSES. 

upon  a  concealed  strength, — the  very  meaning  of  polish  being 
to  please  by  suggesting  ideas  of  smoothness,  completeness, 
perfect  adjustment — in  other  words,  Beauty. 

Tliere  is  another  way  in  which  projecting  r^ofs  convey  the 
idea  of  power,  or  heighten  picturesque  character  in  a  ])uilding. 
They  cast  broad  and  deep  shadows.  Kow,  tlie  strongest 
impression  which  the  eye  receives  of  objects  in  the  open  air 
are  those  of  light  and  shadow;  and  in  the  open  simshine  of 
so  bright  a  climate  as  om's,  the  intensity  of  the  light  is  such 
that  the  most  striking  and  brilliant  effects  are  •  produced  by 
casting  on  the  walls  of  a  house,  in  broad  sunshine,  a  dark 
shadow  fi'om  a  roof  which  projects  from  two  to  fom*  feet. 

A  much  stronger  and  more  definite  idea  is  thus  conveyed 
to  the  mind  of  the  outline  and  real  form  of  such  a  house,  and 
of  every  detail  of  it  which  either  casts  a  shadow  or  receives  the 
outline  of  that  shadow,  than  can  possibly  be  c>btained  by  looking 
at  the  mere  outline  of  a  house,  the  eaves  and  projecting 
features  of  which  ai*e  so  small  as  to  cast  little  or  no  shadow. 

So  much  for  the  expression  of  picturesque  character  con- 
veyed by  a  projecting  roof.  "When  we  add  that  this  character 
is  peculiarly  suited  to  country  houses ;  that  it  is  still  more 
peculiarly  suited  to  country  houses  built  of  w<»od;  that  the 
projection  itself  keeps  the  "vvhole  house  dryer  and  more 
thoroughly  protected  from  the  storms,  and  rendera  the  upper 
story  rooms  cooler  and  more  agreeable  in  summer;  wo  trust 
we  present  arguments  enough  to  the  sense  of  beauty  and 
sense  of  fitness  of  our  readers,  to  induce  them  to  rate  at 
its  tnie  value,  the  advantage  of  a  projecting  roof  in  all 
suitable  styles  of  architecture. 

Accommodation.     The   i)hin  of  this   cottage.   Fig.  38,  shows 


DESIGNS   FOR  COTTAGES.  115 

that  it  is  designed,  not  for  general  use,  but  for  particular  wants. 
There  is  a  kind  of  half  villa,  half  cottage-like  air  about  the  first 
floor,  which  shows  very  plainly  that  the  inmates  wish  to  give 
their  dwelling  something  of  the  superior  air  of  a  villa,  within  the 
limits  of  a  cottage.  There  is  a  space  and  simple  elegance 
about  the  entry  and  front  parlor,  and  a  snugness  and  compact- 
ness about  the  living-room  and  bed-room,  "which  show  a  little 
social  ambition,  and  convey  the  idea  that  the  house  is  designed 
for  a  family  whose  circumstances  allow  them  to  entertain,  much 
more  than  those  who  live  in  most  houses  of  this  class. 

When  an  imusual  amount  of  "  elegant  entertainment"  is  to 
be  put  into  a  very  limited  space — when  a  rather  large  parlor 
for  a  cottage,  has  to  be  accommodated  in  a  not  very  large 
dwelling,  it  generally  follows  that  something  very  necessary  to 
cottage  completeness  must  be  crowded  aside.  Accordingly,  in 
this  cottage,  for  the  first  time,  we  have  been  obliged  to  place 
the  kitchen  in  the  basement.  ISTow,  we  entirely  object  to  this 
arrangement,  imless  the  misti-ess  of  this  cottage  has  means 
enough  to  enable  her  to  keep  one  more  servant  than  any 
cottage  of  this  size  usually  requires — or  unless  for  the  "  base- 
ment Idtchen,"  etc.,  is  substituted  a  kitchen  at  the  opposite  end 
of  the  house  directly  beyond  the  living-room,  and  on  the  same 
floor  with  it. 

Such  a  kitchen,  on  the  same  floor,  would  make  this  cottage 
much  more  truthful  and  satisfactory — but  it  would  cost  nearly 
two  hundred  dollars  more  than  the  present  arrangement — 
because  the  same  walls  and  roof  that  make  the  body  of 
the  louse,  give  also  the  space  for  the  kitchen,  when  the 
latter  is  a  basement  room.  The  disadvantages  are,  that  a 
basement  kitchen  is  neither  so  convenient  nor  so  economical 


116 


COUNTRY  HOUSES. 


for  the  mistress  of  a  cottage;  it  is  not  so  accessible,  and 
therefore  demands  more  personal  attention,  since  it  is  not  so 
directly  under  her  own  eye,  and,  consequently,  what  is  done 
there,  costs  her  more  time  and  money.  The  cottage,  therefore, 
we  repeat,  should  not,  generally,  have  a  basement  kitchen, 
with  the  parlor  and  living-room  up  stairs,  unless  hospitality  is 
more  important  than  economy,  and  unless  the  wages  of  an  addi- 
tional servant  are  of  no  account  in  the  items  of  house-keeping. 

The  parlor  here  is  well  proportioned,  and  is  prettily  varied 
by  the  bay-window  opposite  the  mantel-piece.  Sliding  doore 
between  this  and  the  living-room  give  a  good  deal  of  available 
space  on  this  floor  for  social  purposes.  The  front  windows  in 
the  parlor  may  reach  to  the  floor — but,  we  think,  no  otliere. 
The  bay-window  should  be  fiunished  with  a  window-seat^  all 
round  the  inside,  fifteen  inches  high.  (Tliis  window,  by  an  eiTor 
in  the  view,  Fig.  37,  is  shown  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  house.) 


t  n....r.j 


'llic  basement  floor  is  shown  in  Fig.  39.     A  flight  of  stone 
steps,  at  the  rear  of  the  house,  descends  from  each  side  to  a 


DESIGNS   FOR   COTTAGES. 


117 


landing,  «,  at  the  level  of  the  basement  floor,  from  which  we 
enter  the  kitchen  door.  K  the  ground  falls  away  on  this  side 
of  the  house,  few  or  no  steps  will  be  needed,  and  the  front 
windows  of  the  kitchen  will  be  entu'ely  out  of  ground.  K  tlie 
ground  is  level,  a  large  sunk  area  should  be  built,  so  as  to  give 
room  for  the  steps,  and  light  the  front  windows  of  the  kitchen 
and  wash-room. 

The   cellai-  windows,   as   well   as   all   the   side   windows   in 
the  basement   story,   are    below    the    sm-face   of   the   ground, 
and  are  lighted  by  small   sunk   areas,    eighteen  inches   wide 
which  are  covered  with  wooden  trellis-work  or  iron  gratings? 
J,  so  as  not  to  interfere  with  the  walk  round  the  house. 


uxu 


14  Xi4 


N 


10  X  J7 


[Fig.  40.    Second  Storj'.] 


The  second  story  of  this  cottage.  Fig.  40,  contains  five 
bed-rooms. 

The  a/rhor-^ercmda  of  this  house  is  one  of  its  most  important 
features.  To  build  a  substantial  roof  with  a  veranda  of  this  size 
round  the  whole  cottage,  or  round  three  sides  of  it,  woidd  be  too 
expensive  an  outlay  for  most  occupants  of  such  a  dwelling. 
This  arbor,  which  is  barely  the  skeleton  of  such  a  veranda — 


1  1 8  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

i)eing,  in  fact,  only  an  arbur  with  rather  better  posts  than 
u.sual,  would  cost  but  little,  and  would  not  only  be  productive 
of  much  beauty,  l)ut  a  good  deal  of  profit.  We  sujjpose  it  to 
be  covered  with  those  two  best  and  hardiest  of  oiu*  native 
grajjcs — the  Isabella  and  Catawba — the  most  luxuriant  growers 
in  all  soils — aftording  the  finest  shade,  and,  in  the  middle  and 
western  States,  giving  large  and  regular  crops  of  excellent 
fruit — worth,  in  the  market,  fi-om  six  to  twelve  cents  a  pound. 
This  arbor  requii'es  twenty  vines,  which  Mill,  in  four  years 
alter  being  jjlanted,  cover  all  the  trellis  overhead,  and,  with 
the  simple  and  proper  piiming,  aftei'wards  necessary,  produce 
annually,  at  least  twenty  pounds  of  fine  fruit  per  vine — woiih, 
at  sLx  cents,  $20  per  annum. 

All  the  pruning  required  by  the  vines  can  be  done  in  two 
days,  at  any  time  during  the  autumn  and  winter  when  labor  is 
worth  least,  and  thus  the  arbor  will  very  speedily  produce 
enough  to  pay  its  first  cost,  to  say  nothing  of  the  pleasm-e  derived 
from  its  abmidant  shade  in  the  hottest  days  of  summer. 

To  be  sure,  the  leaves  fall  in  autunm,  and  tlie  veranda  of 
summer  is  only  a  leafless  arbor,  affording  little  or  no  shelter  in 
winter — but  if  the  vines  are  neatly  trained  and  regularly 
pruned  every  November,  it  will  be  fiir  from  presenting  an 
unplejising  appearance  even  at  that  season  ;  while  in  sunnner  it 
will  be  far  more  beautiful  in  its  rich  foliage  and  pendent 
clusters  of  fruit  than  any  cottage  veranda. 

This  arbor-veranda  is  ton  feet  broad,  and  there  should  be 
eitiier  a  paved  surface  or  flot»r,  or  a  firm  gravel  walk  all  round 
the  house  beneath  it.  A  wooden  floor  would  answer  very  well, 
though  it  is  not  so  durable  or  apjjropriate  as  a  paved  walk.  In 
either  case,  the  walk  or   floor  should   be  raised  six  or  eight 


.  UK.S  k;  N     \ 

llliAi  KLTEU    "uTTAUt,    WITH     M«\- 


■■''•■•'  I 


BE.D 

jix  la 

NURbtRY 

■^-    -r 

1     BACK 

KITCH. 
1    6X12 

§ 

IKINriPAI.    FI.Oi'R 

Fip  4:« 


nil. 


DESIGNS   FOB  COTTAGES.  119 

inches   above  the  level  of  the  surrounding  surface,  so  as  to 
render  it  as  dry  as  possible  at  all  times. 

CoNSTKUCTioN.  Tliis  is,  as  the  plan  shows,  a  wooden 
cottage,  with  vertical  boarding,  and  it  is  fiUed-in 
A\ith  l^rick.  The  roof  projects  twenty-six  inches, 
and  the  brackets  (the  form  of  which  is  shown  in 
[Fig.  41.]^  Fig.  41)  should  be  cut  out  of  two-inch  plank. 
As  the  parlor  chimney-stack  does  not  come  directly  under 
the  apex  or  ridge  of  the  roof,  and  as  it  ought  to  come  out  there 
(as  shown  in  the  perspective  view  of  the  house),  it  will  be 
necessary  to  draio  it  over,  when  building  the  stack  through  the 
gan-et.  In  doing  this,  it  will  require  staying,  and  care  must 
be  taken  that  this  support  does  not  bear  upon  the  partition 
between  the  two  bed-rooms  (ten  by  twelve  and  ten  by  seven- 
teen) in  .the  chamber  floor;  because  that  partition  is  a  sHght 
one,  resting  on  a  void  below.  The  bricklayer  should,  instead, 
make  a  strong  base  or  offset  to  the  stack,  a  little  above  the 
floor-beams  in  the  attic,  and  the  carpenter  should  secure  some 
strong  pieces  of  timber,  sufficient  'to  carry  the  weight  of  the 
stack  from  this  shoulder  to  the  point  in  the  rafter  near  the 
ridge  where  the  chimney  is  to  come  out. 

Estimate.  The  estimated  cost  of  this  cottage,  well  finished, 
is  $1278. 

DESIGN    X. — A  Symmetrical,  Bracketed  Cottage,  with  Veranda. 

A  PLEASING,  symmetrical  form,  some  picturesqueness  of  roof, 
united  to  considerable  simphcity  of  construction,  and  an 
expression  of  more  domestic  enjoyment  than  cottages  of  this 
size  usually  exhibit,  are  the  characteristics  of  this  design. 

The  larger  expression  of  domestic  enjoyment  is  conveyed  by 


120  COITNTHY    HOUSES. 

the  veraiKla.  or  jiiiizza.  In  a  cool  climate,  like  that  of  England, 
the  vei'an<la  is  a  Icatiire  of  little  importance;  and  the  same 
thing  is  ti-ue  in  a  considerable  degree  in  the  northern  part  of 
New  England.  But  over  almost  the  whole  extent  uf  the 
United  States,  a  veranda  is  a  positive  luxmy  in  all  the  warmer 
part  of  the  year,  since  in  mid-summer  it  is  the  resting-place, 
lounging-spot,  and  place  of  social  resort,  of  the  whole  family, 
at  certain  hours  (if  the  day.  It  is  not,  however,  an  absolute 
necessity,  like  a  kitchen  or  a  bed-room,  and,  therefore,  the 
smallest  cottages,  or  those  dwellings  in  which  economy  and 
utility  are  the  leading  considerations,  are  constructed  without 
verandas.  But  the  moment  the  dwelling  rises  so  far  in  dignity 
above  the  merely  useful  as  to  employ  any  considerable  feature 
not  entirely  intended  for  use,  then  the  veranda  should  find 
its  place ;  or,  if  not  an  architectural  veranda,  then,  at  least, 
the  arbor-veranda,  covered  with  foliage,  as  in  Design  VIII.,  or 
the  open  porch,  as  in  Design  VI.  To  decorate  a  cottage 
liighly,  which  has  no  veranda-like  feature,  is,  in  this  climate,  as 
imphilosophical  and  false  iu  tiiste,  as  it  wouhl  be  to  ])aint  a  log- 
hut,  or  gild  the  rafters  of  a  barn :  unphilosophical,  because 
all  that  relative  beauty  suggested  by  features  wliich  indicate 
a  more  refined  enjoyment  than  what  grows  out  of  the  ne- 
cessities of  life  should  firet  have  its  manifestation,  since  it  is 
the  most  significant  and  noble  beauty  of  which  the  subject  is 
capable ;  and  false  in  taste,  because  it  is  bestowing  embellish- 
ment on  the  inferior  and  minor  details,  and  neglecting  the 
more  im])ortant  and  inoi-e  cluiracteristic  features  of  a  dwelling. 

Accommodation.  The  interior  of  this  cottage,  though  it 
gives  a  neat  and  pretty  parlor,  of  1-i  by  20  feet,  is  an-anged 
on  a  principle  totally  opposite  to   that   of  Design  VIII.    The 


DESIGNS   FOE   COTTAGES.  121 

principle  there,  is  to  give  a  cottage  witli  limited  room  on  the 
first  floor,  the  appearance  of  more  space  and  elegance  than  it 
really  possessed — it  was,  in  some  degree,  a  sacrifice  of  the 
convenience  of  daily  life  to  the  desire  for  the  utmost  good 
elFect  at  certain  times ;  the  principle  here,  is  to  get  as  large  an 
amount  of  convenience  and  comfort  in  every-day  life  as  possible, 
and  leave  the  rest  to  take  the  secondary  rank. 

Hence  the  Mtchen,  bed-room,  nursery,  and  back-kitchen,  the 
scene  of  a  good  deal  of  the  daily  life  of  the  mistress  of  this 
cottage,  are  all  on  the  first  floor,  and  all  close  together.  The 
last  three  of  these  are  economically  obtained  by  putting  them 
in  a  one-story  wing  added  to  the  rear  of  the  cottage ;  and 
though  the  rooms  thus  afibrded  are  not  large,  yet  they  are  large 
enough  when  they  are  to  be  kept  in  order  with  very  little  "  help." 

The  kitchen,  in  this  plan,  is  properly  the  living  and  eating 
room  of  the  family,  and  in  order  that  it  may  always  be  kept 
neatly,  there  is  a  small  back-kitchen  adjoining,  with  its  separate 
flue  for  a  small  range  or  cooMng-stove,  so  that  all  the  rougher 
work  can  be  done  there,  which  makes  the  larger  kitchen, 
usually,  a  pleasant  family  dining-room. 

There  is  a  partition  across  the  hall,  just  by  the  stairs,  which 
is  intended  to  serve  as  the  extreme  limits  of  nm'sery  excursions, 
on  all  occasions  when  decorum  in  the  parlor  is  the  order  of  the 
day.  The  door  here,  as  well  as  the  front  door,  should  have  the 
two  uppermost  panels  glazed,  so  as  to  light  both  parts  of  the 
hall  when  they  are  closed. 

The  second  floor  of  this  cottage  is  divided  so  as  to  give  the 
utmost  amount  of  room — five  bed-rooms  in  all.  A  more  simple 
mode  would  be  to  repeat  the  form  of  the  lower  hall,  and 
divide  each  of  the  two  large  rooms  into  two  bed-rooms.     Tliis 


122 


COUNTEY   HOUSES. 


would  give  four  bed-rooms,  each  0^  hy  14  feet.  The  advantage 
of  the  arrangement  in  Fig.  44  is,  that  an  excellent  room,  12  by 
14  feet,  is  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  front,  so  as  to  have  the 


8X14 


11X12 


12X14        I 


12X14 


8xn 


[I'ig.  44.    Chamber  Floor.] 

advantage  of  the  large  triple  window  in  the  front  gable.  The 
smaller  bed-room,  8  by  11  feet,  communicating  with  it,  might  be 
used  as  a  childi'en's  bed-room.* 

Construction.    The  veranda  of  this  cottage  is  8  feet  wide  and 
32  feet  long.     It  is  one  of  the  most  pleasing  forms  of  bracketed 


[Fig.  45.    Bracketed  Vomnda  fW>m  the  inside.] 


*  Those  who  prefer  the  more  elegant  arrangement  of  Design  VIIL,  figs.  34  and 
35,  can  easily  adapt  them  to  the  exterior  of  this  Design,  making  the  rear  building  2 
stories  higlu 


iJi;s i(.  N    \  1 

A  SWISS  <(.)-nAi.i 


Fitr    4fi. 


Fig    47. 


,..    l-Si 


DESIGNS  FOK  COTTAGES.  123 

piazza,  and  is  built  with  but  little  cost.  The  whole  is  of  wood ;  the 
rafter,  a  (Fig.  45),  being  worked  fair,  and  beaded  at  the  angles,  as 
well  as  the  narrow  sheathing-boards,  5,  which  cover  them,  and  form 
the  under  side  of  the  roof  Thus,  no  plaster  ceiling  is  required. 
The  roof  itself  is  usually  made  of  tin,  galvanized  iron,  or  shingles. 

The  materials  of  this  cottage  are  outside  weather-boarding, 
put  on  in  the  vertical  mode,  and  filled-in  with  brick,  so  as  to 
make  a  warm  and  dry  house.  There  would  be  a  cellar  under 
the  main  building,  but  not  under  the  back  wing,  unless  some 
exti*a  space  is  requii'ed.  The  entrance  to  this  cellar  frona  the 
interior,  would  be  by  a  flight  of  steps  under  the  stairs  in  the 
hall,  and  from  the  exterior  by  a  cellar  door  and  flight  of  stone 
steps  on  the  kitchen  side  of  the  house.  The  windows  would 
aU  have  outside,  Venetian  blind  shutters. 

In  Fig.  46  is  shown  the  form  of 
the  gable  brackets. 

The    fii'st    story  is    10    feet,   the 
second,  9|  feet  high. 

Estmrmte.      The    whole    cost    of  [Fig.  46.] 

this  cottage  is  estimated  at  $1,356.  Of  com-se,  in  portions 
of  the  country  where  timber  is  more  abundant,  the  cost 
would  be  fi-om  15  to  20  per  cent.  less. 

DESIGN  XI.— ^  Swiss  Cottage. 
The  genuine  Swiss  cottage  may  be  considered  the  most 
pictm-esque  of  all  dwellings  built  of  wood.  Bold  and  striking 
in  outline,  and  especially  in  its  widely  projecting  roof,  which  is 
peculiarly  adapted  to  a  snowy  countiy,  rude  in  construction,  and 
rustic  and  quaint  in  ornaments  and  details,  it  seems  especially 
adapted  to  the  wild  and  romantic  scenery  where  it  originated. 


124  COUNTRY    HOrSES. 

The  expression  of  the  iSwiss  cottage  is  highly  domestic,  as 
it  aboimds  in  galleries,  balconies,  large  windows,  and  other 
featui-es  indicative  of  home  comforts.  But,  as  generally  seen 
abroad,  it  is  also  siffiiificaiit  of  the  most  rustic  kind  of  domestic 
life.  Tliere  is  no  need,  however,  in  our  copying  a  Swiss  chalet, 
that  we  should  copy  all  its  defects ;  we  may  retain  much  of 
the  pictm-esqueness  of  the  Swiss  cottage  without  making  its 
basement  a  stable  for  cows,  or  piling  large  stones  on  the  roof. 
These  local  characteristics  should  never  be  transplanted  out 
of  a  country  where  they  are  in  keeping  with  the  manners  and 
customs  of  the  j^eople,  into  one  where  they  are  not. 

One  thing,  however,  should  never  be  lost  sight  of  in  the 
selection  of  any  distinct  and  striking  architectural  style.  This 
is,  to  remember  that  its  peculiarity  and  picturesqueness  must 
either  be  greatly  modified  to  suit  a  tame  landscape,  or,  if 
preserved,  then  a  scene  or  locality  should  be  selected  which  is 
in  harmony  with  the  style. 

Tlie  true  site  for  a  Swiss  cottage  is  in  a  bold  and  mountainous 
country,  on  the  side,  or  at  the  bottom  of  a  wooded  hill,  or  in  a  wild 
and  pictm-esque  valley.  In  such  positions  the  architecture  will 
have  a  spirit  and  meaning  which  will  inspire  every  beholder  with 
interest,  while  the  same  cottage  built  in  a  level  coimtry,  amid 
smooth  green  fields,  would  only  appear  affected  and  ridiculous. 

Tlic  design  before  us  was  made  by  G.  J.  Penchard,  Esq., 
Architect,  Albany,  and  has  been  exceedingly  well  built,  under 
his  direction,  as  a  tenant's  cottage,  at  the  foot  of  a  slope  near 
the  public  road,  at  Mount  Hope,  the  estate  of  E.  P.  Prentice, 
Esq.,  about  a  mile  below  that  city. 

Mr.  Penchard,  in  designing  this  cottage,  has  apparently  been 
guided  by  the  fii-st  of  the  two  princii)les  of  adaptation  which  we 
have  laid  down — viz.  tliat  of  so  modifyiuy  the  character  of  the 


DESIGNS  FOR   COTTAGES. 


125 


Swiss  st}ie  as  to  siiit  a  situation  mucli  less  j)ictm'esque  in 
character  than  that  where  the  Swiss  cottage  properly  belongs. 
Fig.  46  shows  the  general  effect  of  this  cottage  as  seen  by  the 
visitor,  the  other  side  being  backed  by  the  hill.  It  is  subdued 
and  chastened  in  pictui-esqueness,  and  much  less  bold  and  rude 
than  this  kind  of  cottage  might  with  propriety  be,  if  built 
among  forest  or  mountain  scenery. 

It  still  retains  the  picturesque  roof,  the  bold  brackets,  and 
the  long  outside  galleries — but  all  much  more  delicately  made 
than  in  Swiss  examples.  While,  therefore,  it  is  not  sufficiently 
bold  for  wild  scenery,  it  is  quite  enough  so  for  many  sites  where 
ornamental  Swiss  cottages  are  usually  built. 

Accommodation.  Fig.  4Y  shows  the  interior  of  this  cottage 
as  we  should  prefer  to  distribute  the  rooms.  In  this  arrange- 
ment, the  kitchen,  wash-room,  etc.,  are  in  the  basement  story, 
Fig.  49 — so  that  the  principal  floor  has  a  comfortable  living- 
room  with  a  large  pantry,  closet,  etc. ;  a  bed-room  which  also 
has  a  large  closet ;  and  a  handsome  parlor  in  front. 


* — 


"tl 1 

1  

-i 


[Fig.  48.    A  Variation  of  the  Principal  Floor.] 


12G 


COUNTRY  UOUSES. 


Fig.  48  shows  a  less  elegant  but  more  conveaient  distribution 
for  a  cottage  family — being,  in  fact,  the  way  the  rooms  are 
actually  used  at  Albany,  The  variation  consists  in  using  the 
living-room  as  the  kitchen,  and  making  the  back-kitchen  or 
"  sink-room"  of  what  is  a  pantry  in  Fig.  47. 


B  A.S  EMENT. 

[Fig.  49.] 

The  basement  shown  in  Fig.  49  is  very  conveniently  arranged, 
but  is  intended  to  correspond  with  Fig.  47  as  the  plan  of  the 
principal  floor.  In  case  the  kitchen  is  preferred  up  staii-s,  as  in 
Fig.  48,  then  the  basement  woidd  be  chiefly  cellar  and  store- 
room. There  is  a  water-closet  (W.  C.)  in  a  part  of  the  lower 
passage,  which  gives  this  cottage  quite  a  villa-like  completeness. 
CHAMBER     FLOOR. 


[Fig.  50.    Cbombor  Floor.] 


DESIGNS   FOR  COTTAGES. 


127 


The  arrangement  of  the  chamber  floor,  Fig.  48,  shows  three 
good  bed-rooms. 

The  plan  of  this  cottage  shows  no  open  fire-places,  but  only- 
flues  for  stoves,  a  mode  of  warming  which  we  regret  to  see 
growing  so  popular  in  this  countiy,  since  we  think  it  consults 
economy  at  the  cost  of  both  health  and  cheerfulness.  If  we 
were  building  this  cottage,  therefore,  we  would  have  an  open 
grate  or  fire-place  in  the  living-room  or  parlor. 

CoNSTKUcnoN.  Fig.  51,  which  is  an  elevation  of  the  south 
side  of  this  cottage  (that  on  which  the  hall  and  staircase  are), 
shows  the  part,  to  a  rather  larger  scale,  and  more  con'ectly. 

This  is  a  frame  house,  doubly  covered  on  the  outside  of 
the  frame,  i.  e.  with  rough  but  jointed  inch  boards,  so  as  to 


fFig.  51.    Elevation  of  the  Side.] 


form  a  plane  surface,  and  then  with  an  external  coating  of 
shingles  cut  in  an  ornamental  pattern.  The  main  body  of  the 
house,  in  Fig.  51,  shows  the  building  as  covered  with  the 
boarding  before  the  shingles  were  put  on.     The  back  wing 


128  COLNTKY   HOUSES. 

^lnl^vs  the  shape  in  wliicli  tlie  shingles  are  cut,  and  the  effect 
when  finished. 

This  mode  of  covering  wooden  houses  with  shingles  is  a  very 
durable  mode,  and,  when  the  shingles  are  cut  in  ornamental 
patterns,  it  has  a  more  tasteful  and  picturesque  effect  than 
common  weather-boarding.  It  is  quite  as  dm-able  a  material 
for  exterioi'S  as  wood  in  any  form,  and  we  can  point  to 
exami^les  of  shingle-covered  Dutch  farm-houses  in  our  vicinity, 
more  than  a  hundred  years  old,  and  still  in  good  preservation. 

The  form  of  the  brackets  which  support  the  roof  is  seen  at 
the  comer  of  the  building  in  Fig.  51,  the  same  pattern  being 
used  all  round  the  eaves.  The  roof  of  this  house  j^rojects 
three  and  a  half  feet,  and  it  is  slightly  Mpped^  which  increases 
its  pictm'esque  character. 

Altogether,  this  cottage,  which  is  quite  ornamental  in 
character,  is  well  worthy  of  the  inspection  of  the  admirere  of 
the  cottage  ornee,  and  those  who  like  the  Swiss  style  would  do 
well  to  examine  it.  It  appeai-s,  indeed,  much  better  in  reality 
than  it  does  in  an  engraving. 

Estimate.  Constnicted  as  we  have  pointed  out,  in  whiclj 
case  it  would  not  requii'e  filling-in,  unless  in  very  cold  sites 
this  design  may  be  built  in  a  finished,  simple  manner,  for  $2600. 
As  actually  built  near  Albany,  with  a  good  deal  of  extra  labor 
and  cost,  the  entire  expenditure  was  about  $3000. 

i)i<:siGN  XII.— -4.  Square  Suburban  Cottage. 

This  is  only  an  attempt  to  give  a  tolerable  exterior  to  a 
species  of  cottage  of  very  moderate  size,  common  in  the 
Bubm'bs  of  all  om-  villages. 


DESIGNS   FOR  COTTAGES. 


129 


The  roof  projects  eighteen  inches,  upon  rafter  brackets  of 
the  plainest  description,  being  only  common  joists  or  the  small 
timbers  of  the  roof. 

An  open  porch  of  treUis-work  for  vines  assists  in  giving  an 
air  of  some  taste  to  the  exterior  of  this  cottage. 

Accommodation.  In  a  cottage  of  this  kind  not  an  inch 
should  be  lost,  and,  therefore,  a  form  nearly  square  has  been 
adopted. 


[Fig.  52.    Elevation.] 

An  inspection  of  Fig.  53,   which  is  the  first  floor  of  this 
cottage,  will  show  the  arrangement  of  the  apartments  of  this 


VERANDA 


[Fig.  53.    First  Floor.] 


story.    The  rooms  are  of  good  size  for  a  dwelling  of  this  class, 

9 


130 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


and  as  they  all  conunuiiicate,  and  as  the  chimneys  are  all  in 
the  middle  of  the  house,  not  an  mmecessary  step  need  be  taken, 
not  a  particle  of  heat  will  be  lost.  The  back-porch  would  be 
very  necessary  in  a  northern  climate,  but  may  be  disj:)ensed 
with  in  wanner  portions  of  the  Union. 

Fig.  64  is  the  plan  of  the  second  story,  which  contains  three 
good   bed-rooms.    This  story  is  shown  nine  feet  high,  so  that 

'  '  ■  ■ '    20  FPET 


[Fig.  54.    Qiamber  Floor.] 

the  upper  rooms  have  an  abundance  of  air ;  a  height  rendered 
more  necessary  in  a  cottage  the  roof  of  which  has  but  little 
pitch,  than  in  any  dwelling  the  roof  of  which  is  steep. 

Tlie  flues  of  the  two  stacks  are  all  drawn  together  in  one 
chimney  in  the  garret  of  this  building. 

Construction.  This  design  may  be  built  of  brick,  stone,  or 
wood.  In  the  elevation  (Fig.  52)  it  is  supposed  to  be  built  of 
wood,  and  vertically  boarded.  Constructed  in  this  way,  and 
filled-in  ^vith  brick,  it  would  make  a  warm  and  very  comfortable 
house,  and  the  estimated  cost  of  erecting  it  here,  is  $760 — 
supposing  it  to  have  a  cellar  under  the  whole,  and  to  be 
fiUed-in  with  brick.    In  portions  of  the  country  where  lumber 


DESIGNS   FOR  COTTAGES.  131 

is  abundant,  and  close  economy  is  used  in  building,  it  may  be 
erected  at  little  more  than  $500. 

This  plan  may  be  reduced  in  size  one-fourth,  and  still  give  a 
snug  cottage  for  a  small  family ;  it  may  then  be  built  for  $150 
less  than  the  estimate  above  named. 

DESIGN  xrn.— ^  Oiibical  Cottage  in  the  Tusccm  Style. 

This  design  presents  an  elevation  adapted  to  almost  any 
situation,  and  may  be  built  of  any  materials  most  readily 
obtained — though  it  is  supposed,  in  Fig.  55,  to  be  built  of  brick 
and  stucco. 

The  style  is  a  very  simple  and  unpretending  modification  of 
the  Tuscan  or  modem  Italian  architecture — the  roof  rising  six 
feet  in  the  centime  and  projecting  two  and  a  half  feet  at  the 
eaves,  the  window-dressings  simple  and  bold  in  character. 


[Fig.  55.    Elevation.] 

An  arbor-veranda,  the  roof  of  which  is  nothing  more  than 
open  trellis  bars  (like  that  described  in  Design  IX.),  and 
covered  with  grape  vines  planted  at  the  base  of  each  post, 
forms  the  cheap  and  appropriate  decoration,  as  well  as  the 
characteristic  and  comfortable  feature  of  this  cottage. 

An  arbor-veranda  of  this  kind  may,  if  the  house  is  built  of 


132 


COUNTRY    HOUSES. 


wood,  be  constructed  of  rustic  work  at  a  verv  trifling  cost. 
To  build  a  complete  veranda,  of  the  size  indicated  in  Fig.  56 
(ten  feet  wide),  and  around  three  sides  of  this  cottage,  would 
be  quite  too  costly  to  comport  with  the  rest  of  the  plan — 
though,  with  slight  alterations  of  the  interior,  the  whole  might 
be  raised  in  character  so  much  as  to  become  a  cottage-villa, 
when  the  veranda  would  very  properly  be  constructed  in  the 
most  solid  manner. 

Accommodation.      A    most    comfortable,    convenient,    and 


[KiS'.  a>.     rin<t   I'lix.r.J 


compact  airangement  is  afforded  in  this  design  (see  Fig.  56). 
A  hall  or  passage,  10  by  11  feet,  opening  into  the  parlor, 
gives  an  impression  of  more  space  and  elegance  than  is 
generally  received  in  dwellings  of  this  size ;  and  the  position 
of  the  staii-s,  placed  by  themselves  in  a  space  8  by  11  feet,  not 
only  enables  the  occupants  of  this  design  to  use  the  front  hall, 
occasionally,  as  a  little  vestibule  or  small  apartment,  but  gives 
the  staircase  that  privacy  more  commonly  found  in  a  villa  than 
in  a  cottage  arrangement. 


DESIGNS   FOR  COTTAGES.  133 

The  living-room,  bed-room,  and  kitchen  have  that  immediate 
connection  so  desirable  to  families  dwelling  in  houses  of  mod- 
erate size — when  the  main  points  are,  to  employ  the  least 
domestic  assistance  in  household  labors,  and  to  have  every  thing 
imder  the  pei*sonal  care  of  the  misti'ess. 

The  kitchen  is  a  one-story  wmg^  of  the  same  height  as  the 
arbor-veranda,  with  the  roof  on  the  same  level,  so  as  to 
correspond  externally  with  this  veranda.  The  kitchen  is  10  by 
16  feet,  with  two  closets  at  one  end,  and  a  back  porch  (behind 
the  pantry),  in  which  is  the  back  door  at  the  other  end. 

The  second  floor  of  this  cottage,  Fig.  57, 
shows  four  good  bed-rooms. 

Ya/riaUon.  By  changing  the  position  of 
the  fii'e-places  or  flues  from  the  partition 
wall  between  the  two  principal  rooms  to 
the  other  partition — viz.  between  the  bed- 
[Fig.57.  Chamber  Floor.]  yQQxn.  and  living-room,  and  between  the 
parlor  and  hall — which  would  only  require  a  slight  alteration 
in  the  position  of  the  doors — the  two  j^i'iiicipal  rooms  may 
be  made  to  communicate,  with  large  sliding  or  folding  doors. 
This,  retaining  the  rest  as  it  is,  would  give  more  elegance, 
but  perhaps  less  convenience,  for  the  majority  of  those  who 
would  build  this  design. 

Let  us  modify  the  design  a  little  farther,  and  besides  throwing 
these  two  parlors  into  one,  by  sliding  doors,  let  us  suppose  the 
veranda  carried  aU  round  the  house,  and  the  kitchen  placed  in 
the  basement,  and  we  have  an  arrangement  much  more  villa- 
like, but  one  also  costing  more  at  first,  and  involving  a  much 
greater  annual  expenditure  for  servants  to  perform  the  necessary 


134  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

labor.     It  becomes,  in  fact,  a  small  villa— exceeding,  as  it  does, 
the  limits  we  have  defined  for  a  cottage. 

Estimate.  To  execute  this  design  according  to  the  plans  in 
Figs.  53,  54,  55,  of  brick  and  stucco,  with  a  cellar  under  the 
whole,  would  cost  about  $1300. 


WHAT    A  FARM-HOUSE   SHOULD  BE. 


335 


SECTION  V. 

WHAT  A  FARM-HOUSE  SHOULD  BE. 

In  every  agricultm-al  countiy,  the  most  numerous  habita- 
tions that  meet  the  eye  of  the  ti-aveller  are  farm-houses. 

In  this  countiy,  where  a  large  proportion  of  the  whole 
population  is  devoted  to  agricultm-e,  this  is  especially  the 
case.  For  every  twenty  persons  who  live  in  villas,  suburban 
cottages,  or  town  houses,  there  are  eight}^  persons  who  live  in 
farm-houses.  It  requires  no  argmnent,  therefore,  to  prove  that 
the  comfort  or  convenience  of  farmers  is  of  more  weight  and 
importance,  numerically  considered,  than  that  of  any  other 
class  ;  or  that  whoever  desii-es  to  see  his  country  adorned  with 
tasteful  dwellings,  must  not  overlook  its  most  frequent  and 
continual  feature — the  farm-house. 

Granting  the  importance  of  this  branch  of  Em-al  Architectm-e, 
it  is  not  a  little  singular  that  we,  in  America,  so  rarely  see  a 
satisfactory  farm-house. 

Most  thiuldng  persons  explain  this  to  themselves  by  saying 
that  only  those  who  have  money  to  spare,  can  afford  to  bmld 
tasteful  houses,  and  that  the  farmer  has  no  money  to  spare  for 
ornamental  decoration.  If,  however,  we  have  been  rightly 
understood  in  our  remarks  on  cottages,  we  trust  we  have  plainly 
shown  that  beauty  does  not  depend  solely  upon  ornament,  and 


136  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

hence  tliut  ;i  liouse  may  be  tasteful,  without  any  additional  cost, 
inerely  by  exhibiting  good  fonns. 

Setting  aside,  therefore,  this  reasoning  as  insufficient,  we 
must  attribute  the  common-place  and  meager  character  of 
farm-houses  to  two  other  causes — one,  that  architects  usually 
c(jnsider  them  beneath  their  notice  ;  and  the  other,  that  farmei-s 
seldom  consider  what  the  beauty  of  a  fai-m-house  consists  in. 

It  is  not,  perhaps,  remarkable  that  foreign  architects  look  uu 
the  farm-house  as  so  little  worthy  of  their  attention.  In 
counti'ies  where  the  farmers  are  serfs,  as  in  Russia,  or  even 
tenants  from  year  to  year,  as  in  England ;  wherever,  in  short, 
the  faraier  has  no  property  in  the  soil  he  cultivates,  we  might 
natiu-aUy  expect  that  the  comfort  and  beauty  of  his  habitations 
would  be  a  matter  of  trifling  consequence  to  architects,  whose 
profession  is  dependent  upon  the  wealthier  class  of  landlords  and 
proprietors.  But  in  this  countiy,  where  almost  every  fanner  is 
a  proprietor,  where  a  large  portion  of  the  fanners  are  intelligent 
men,  and  where  farmei-s  are  not  prevented  by  any  thing  in  their 
condition  or  in  the  institutions  of  the  countrv,  from  being 
among  tlie  wisest,  the  best,  and  the  most  honored  of  our 
citizens,  the  wants  of  the  farming  class  deserve,  and  should 
receive,  the  attention  to  which  their  character  and  importance 
entitle  them. 

We  have  said  that  farmei"S,  generally,  misundei"stand  the  true 
sources  of  tnith  and  beauty  in  a  farm-house.  Our  farmers  are 
by  no  means  all  contented  with  a  comfortable  shelter  for  their 
heads.  ( )ii  tlie  contraiT,  we  see  numberless  attempts  to  give 
something  of  beauty  to  their  homes.  The  designs  continually 
[tublished  by  agricultural  jomiials,  most  of  which  emanate  from 
the  agricultural  class,  show  the  continual  aiming  after  some- 


WHAT   A    FAKM-H0U8E   SHOULD   BE.  137 

thing  better,  which  characterizes  every  class  in  this  country. 
Some  of  these  designs  are  appropriate  and  tasteful.  But  a 
large,number  of  the  better  and  more  substantial  farm-houses, 
especially  those  where  some  eflbrt  at  taste  is  apparent,  are 
decidedly  failm-es,  considered  either  in  a  tasteful  or  architec- 
tural point  of  view. 

Tliey  are  often  failures,  indeed,  not  because  there  ai'e  no 
evidences  of  comfort  or  beauty  in  their  exteriors  or  interiors ; 
but  because  they  are  not  intrmsically  farm-houses ;  because 
they  are  not  truthful ;  because  they  do  not  express  the  life  and 
character  of  the  farmer;  because  they  neglect  then*  own  true 
and  legitimate  sources  of  interest,  and  aim  to  attain  beauty  by 
imitating  or  borrowing  the  style  or  decorations  of  the  orna- 
mental cottage  or  villa. 

Kow,  if  we  have  clearly  explained,  in  a  previous  part  of  this 
work,  the  great  value  and  importance  of  trathfulness  in 
domestic  architectm-e,  it  cannot  but  be  plain  to  om*  readei*s 
that  a  farm-house  must,  first  of  all,  look  like  a  farm-house,  or  it 
cannot  give  us  any  lasting  satisfaction ;  and  that  as  one  of  the 
highest  som-ces  of  beauty  in  domestic  architecture  is  derived 
from  its  embodying  the  best  ti-aits  of  character  of  the  man  or 
class  of  men  for  whom  it  is  designed,  it  is  equally  plain  that  to 
raise  the  farm-house  in  the  scale  of  truth  and  beauty,  we  must 
make  it  express  that  beauty,  whatever  it  may  be,  which  lies  in  a 
farmer's  life. 

How  shall  we  make  a  farm-house  truthful  and  significant,  so 
that  it  shall  look  like  a  fann-house  ?  Only  by  studying  the 
characteristics  of  the  fanner's  life,  and  expressing,  first  of  all, 
in  the  forms  of  his  dwelling,  the  peculiar  wants  and  comforts  of 
that  life. 


138  COUNTRY    HOUSES. 

Some  of  these  we  conceive  to  ])C  the  following :  extended 
space  on  the  ground,  to  afford  room  for  all  the  in-door  occupa- 
tions of  agricultural  life,  which  will  always  give  the  farm-house 
breadth  rather  than  height ;  a  certain  nistic  plaiimess,  which 
denotes  a  class  more  occupied  with  the  practical  and  useful 
than  the  elegant  arts  of  life ;  a  substantial  and  solid  construc- 
tion, which  denotes  abimdance  of  materials  to  build  with,  rather 
than  money  to  expend  in  workmanship. 

The  genuine  farmer  is  peculiarly  the  man  of  nature — more 
sincere,  more  earnest  than  men  of  any  other  class ;  because, 
dealing  more  with  Providence  than  with  men,  he  is  less  sophis- 
ticated either  in  manners  or  heart,  and,  if  less  cultivated,  is 
more  frank,  and  gives  us  mure  homely  ti-uths  and  less  conven- 
tional insincerity  than  dwellers  in  cities. 

The  fiirm-house,  to  be  significant,  should  therefore  show  an 
absence  of  all  pretension.  It  should  not  boiTow  Grecian 
columns,  or  Italian  balustrades,  or  Gothic  carved  work  from 
the  villa ;  or  merely  pretty  ornaments  from  the  cottage  ornee. 
It  should  rely  on  its  own  honest,  straightforward  simplicity, 
and  should  rather  aim  to  be  frank,  and  genuine,  and  open- 
hearted,  like  its  owner,  than  to  wear  the  borrowed  ornaments  of 
any  class  of  different  habits  and  tastes.  Tlie  porch  or  tlie 
veranda  of  the  iarm-house  should  not  only  be  larger,  but  jdso 
simpler,  and  ruder,  and  str».)nger  than  that  of  the  cottage, 
because  there  is  more  manly  strength  in  the  agriculturist's  life 
than  in  that  of  any  other  class  ;  the  roof  should  be  higher  and 
more  capacious,  for  it  is  to  overshadow  larger  families  and 
larger  stores  of  nature's  gifts ;  and,  above  all,  the  chimneys 
should  be  larger  and  more  generous-looking,  to  betoken  the 
warm-hearted   hospitality   of  the   farmer's   home.     Their  large 


WHAT  A  FARM-HOUSE   SHOULD  BE.  139 

and  simple  tops  should  rather  suggest  ample  hearths  and  good 
kitchens  than  small  grates  and  handsome  parlors. 

Now,  the  real  elements  of  beauty  in  the  farm-house  must 
be  found  in  giving  expression  to  the  best  and  most  beautiful 
traits  in  the  farmer's  life.  And  since  the  farmer's  life  is 
neither  devoted  to  the  elegant  nor  the  ornamental  arts,  he 
should  no  more  be  expected  to  display  a  variety  of  architec- 
tural ornaments  in  the  construction  of  his  house,  than  he  would 
be  to  wear  garments  made  by  the  most  fashionable  tailor  in 
Broadway,  or  to  drive  to  his  market  town  in  one  of  Lawrence 
and  Collis's  most  modish  carriages. 

Expecting,  as  we  do,  to  find  eveiy  species  of  domestic 
architecture  typifying  the  character  of  the  man  or  class  of  men 
inhabiting  it,  we  do  not  desii*e  any  elaborate  artistic  efiect  or 
any  thing  like  carefully  studied  attempts  at  architectural  style 
in  the  farm-house.  The  farmer's  life  is  not  one  devoted  to 
aesthetics,  and  we  do  not  look  chiefly  for  the  evidences  of 
carefully  elaborated  taste  and  cultm'e  in  his  house,  as  in  tlie 
dwelling  of  the  scholar  and  the  man  of  letters. 

But  we  ought  to  find,  in  every  farm-house,  indications  of 
those  virtues  which  adorn  the  farmer's  character,  and  which, 
if  expressed  at  all  in  his  dwelling,  must  give  the  latter 
something  of  the  same  beauty  as  the  former.  His  dwelling 
ought  to  suggest  simplicity,  honesty  of  purpose,  frankness, 
a  hearty,  genuine  spirit  of  good-will,  and  a  homely  and  modest, 
though  manly  and  independent,  bearing  in  his  outward 
deportment.  For  the  true  farmer  despises  affectation ;  he 
loves  a  blunt  and  honest  expression  of  the  truth ;  and  he 
shows  you  that  he  knows  the  value  of  a  fiiend,  by  shaking 


140  OOUNTET  HOUSES. 

hands  with  you,  as  if  his  heart  acted  like  a  magnetic  machine 
on  the  chords  of  his  fingers. 

It  would  be  false  and  foolish  to  embellish  highly  the  dwelling 
of  such  a  man  with  the  elaborate  details  of  the  difierent  schools 
of  architecture.  Wo  must  leave  this  more  scientific  display  of 
art  and  learning  to  villas  and  public  edifices,  and  endeavor  to 
make  the  fiirm-house  agreeable,  chiefly  by  expressing  in  its 
leading  forms  the  sti'ength,  simplicity,  honesty,  frankness,  and 
sterling  goodness  of  the  farmer's  character.  Although  we 
must  recognize,  first  of  all,  the  constant  industry  which  gives 
so  much  dignity  and  independence  to  his  life,  in  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  interior  of  his  house  mainly  for  useful  ends,  yet  we 
would  also  inti'oduce  eveiy  comfort  and  convenience  denoting 
the  intelligence  and  ease  of  tlie  successful  farmer's  life  in  a 
country  where  that  life  is  so  truly  intelligent  and  reputable  as 
our  own.  But  in  adding  the  veranda,  the  bay-window,  and 
other  architectural  featm-es  significant  of  social  cultivation  and 
enjoyment,  we  should  still  bear  in  mind  that  these  features  are 
to  be  stamped  with  the  sti'ength,  simplicity,  and  downrightness 
of  character  which  denote  that  they  belong  to  the  dwelling  of 
a  man  who  cannot  wear  fine  ornaments,  even  upon  his  house, 
because  they  arc  foreign  to  his  nature — however  significant 
the  same  ornaments  may  be  of  the  life  of  another  man  or 
another  class  of  men. 

Tlie  principles  which  wc  would  lay  down  for  designing 
farm-houses  may  be  stated  as  follows — so  far  as  the  production 
of  hecmty  is  concerned. 

That  the  form  of  the  building  should  express  a  local  fitness, 
and   an   intimate   relation   with   the  soil   it   stands   upon — by 


WHAT  A  FAKM-H0U8E  SHOtTLD  BE.  141 

shomng  breadth,  and  extension  upon  the  ground,  rather  than 
height. 

That  its  proportions  should  aim  at  ampleness,  solidity, 
comfort,  and  a  simple  domestic  feeling,  rather  than  elegance, 
grace,  and  polished  symmetry. 

That  its  details  should  be  simple  and  bold,  and  its  ornaments, 
so  far  as  they  are  used,  should  rather  be  rustic,  strong,  or  pictu- 
resque, than  delicate  or  highly  finished. 

That  in  raising  the  character  of  the  fann-house,  the  first  step 
above  the  really  useful,  is  to  add  the  porch,  the  veranda,  and 
the  bay-window,  since  they  are  not  only  significant  of  real 
but  of  refined  utility. 

So  far  as  the  tiseful  is  concerned  in  the  farm-house,  its 
principles  are  better  understood,  but  we  shall  do  no  harm  in 
recapitulating  the  most  important : — 

The  fann-house  should  be  built  of  strong  and  enduring 
materials,  whether  of  timber  or  stone,  so  that  it  may  need 
repaii-s  very  seldom. 

The  pitch  of  the  roof  should  always  be  high,  not  only 
to  keep  the  chamber-floor  cooler,  and  to  shed  the  snows  in 
a  northern  climate,  but  to  give  sufficient  garret  room  for 
storing  and  dr^nng  many  of  the  smaller  products  of  the  farm. 

The  Iwing^oom  of  the  family  should  be  a  large,  and  usually 
the  largest  and  most  comfortable  apartment;  it  should  be  so 
placed  as  to  be  convenient  to  the  other  apartments  used  in  the 
every-day  occupations  of  the  family,  and  its  size  should  never 
be  sacrificed  to  that  of  the  parlor. 

Every  farm-house  should  contain  a  room  for  mUk  (even 
when  the  dairy  is  a  separate  building,  as  in  most  American 


142  OOTINTRY    HOUSES. 

farm-houses),  as  well  as  a  room  or  back  building  for  wood  or 
other  fuel. 

"When  tlie  means  of  the  farmer  allow  him  to  extend  his 
accommodation,  they  should  firet  be  applied  to  multiplying  and 
rendering  as  complete  as  possible,  all  apartments,  on  the  first 
floor,  calculated  in  any  way  to  facilitate  the  domestic  labors  of 
the  fiimily  or  iarm,  before  he  increases  the  size  or  number  of 
his  parlors. 

In  addition  to  the  rules  laid  down  in  Section  II.  for  the 
production  of  fitness  and  tasteful  efiect  in  cottages,  we  may 
also  add,  that  though  a  farm-house  should  always  be  built  of 
solid  materials  when  economy  will  permit,  yet  there  is  a  mental 
satisfaction  in  finding  at  all  times,  that  it  is  constnicted  of 
materials  most  abundant  on  the  farm,  or  at  least  in  the  district 
where  the  house  is  placed. 

Wherever  good  building  materials  aboimd,  their  use  in 
building  the  house  of  the  owner  of  the  land,  not  only  enables 
us  to  understand  that  the  abundance  and  cheapness  of  those 
materials  have  made  it  easy  to  build  a  large  house  there,  but 
it  also  affords  us  an  index  of  the  natm-al  products  of  tlie  earth, 
and  has  therefore  a  local  meaning,  much  more  valuable  than 
any  novelty  that  we  may  gain  by  bringing  our  bricks  fi-om 
Holland,  like  the  original  settlers  of  New  Tork,  or  importing 
portions  of  a  French  chateau,  like  some  of  our  modern  archi- 
tectural virtuosi. 


DESIGNS   FOB  FAKM-HOUSES.  143 


SECTION  YI. 


DESIGNS  FOR  FARM-HOUSES. 


In  the  foUowing  designs  for  farm-houses,  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  we  have  been  controlled  by  two  circumstances — 
first,  a  desire  to  bring  the  cost  of  the  buildings  designed,  within 
the  means  of  fanners  in  easy  circumstances  throughout  the 
country  generally ;  and  second,  the  necessity  of  adapting  the 
designs  to  the  materials  which  farmers  are,  for  the  most  part, 
obliged  to  employ  in  the  United  States. 

To  make  a  farm-house  realize  our  own  conceptions,  it  should 
be  especially  remarkable  for  sinvplicity  and  hreadth  combined. 
But  as  there  is  only  one  farmer  in  ten  thousand  who  can  afford 
to  build,  at  once,  a  fann-house  as  large  as  either  the  fullest 
convenience  or  the  best  effect  would  dictate,  we  have  sought 
to  make  om*  designs  more  useful,  by  keeping  them  within  very 
moderate  limits  ;  several  of  them  being  so  arranged  as  to  admit 
of  additions  to  any  extent.* 

Again,  the  only  perfectly  satisfactory  farm-houses  are  those 


*  On  the  other  hand,  many  of  our  readers  "will  be  fanners  of  small  means,  who  do 
not  wish  to  expend  more  than  8500  or  $600  on  a  farm-house.  We  must  refer  such 
to  our  designs  for  cottages — some  of  the  simplest  of  which,  as  Design  IV.,  would 
make  excellent  farm  cottages,  with  very  trifling  alteration. 


144  COUNTEY   HOUSES. 

built  of  solid  materials — quariy  stone,  small  stones  and  rough- 
cast or  cement,  brick,  or  brick  and  stucco.  "We  believe  it  was 
Dr.  Franklin  who  went  into  a  calculation  to  show  his  farming 
countrymen  how  many  millions  were  wasted  by  every  genera- 
tion, in  building  of  so  perishable  a  material  as  wood.  AYe 
fully  agree  with  him,  and,  wherever  the  power  of  choice  exists, 
would  by  all  means  counsel  the  farmer  to  build  of  lasting 
materials,  which,  unlike  wood,  will  not  need  continual  repaire 
during  his  own  lifetime,  only  to  be  pulled  down  at  the  end  of 
fifty  or  sixty  yeai*s  by  his  successors. 

On  the  other  hand,  when  the  farmer  is  obliged  to  build  of 
wood,  he  should  especially  avoid  all  fanciful  and  highly  finished 
workmanship,  and  all  slender  and  frail  construction ;  but  using 
strong  timber  of  all  kinds,  he  will,  at  the  same  time,  give  dura- 
bility and  fitness  of  character  to  the  building  he  erects. 

In  point  of  taste  and  truthfid  ex'jDression,  a  farm-house,  as  we 
have  before  suggested,  should  never  be  high.  It  should  rather 
spread  upon  the  ground  than  be  piled  up  in  the  air.  There  is, 
too,  an  appearance  of  rural  simplicity — an  honest  resting  on 
the  earth — about  a  low  farm-house,  which  a  dwelling  of  two 
ftdl  stories  never  has.  And  as  the  second-floor  apartments 
in  a  farm-house  are  bed-rooms  for  those  who  go  into  them 
merely  for  the  purpose  of  sleeping,  and  not,  as  in  a  villa, 
for  the  pm'pose  of  passing  the  time  in  elegant  leisure,  we 
do  not  fuad  that  farmere  are  at  all  luxurious  in  their  notions  of 
these  second-floor  apartments.  We  would  always,  therefore, 
prefer  to  build  a  farm-house  of  what  is  called  the  "  story -and-a- 
half"  height — as  being  both  less  expensive  and  more  character- 
istic. Some  of  the  designs  which  follow  we  have,  accordmgly, 
shown   in   this   way — while   to  suit  those   who    (not    perhaps 


I.MKTRICAI.    STONE    FARM    IlOf.-l 


Fig.    58. 


iTTTrrrTrH 


TRINriFAL    rt.onR 
Vw     5<» 


p      14. 


DESIGNS   FOR   FARM-HOUSES.  145 

wholly 'faraiei'S  in  their  habits)  prefer  a  full  chamber  story,  we 
have  also  given  examples  of  the  latter  construction. 

We  have  supposed  in  all  these  designs  a  very  plain  but 
substantial  jmish  of  the  wood-work — with  only  the  simplest 
mouldings  to  the  doors  and  windows,  and  the  interior  walls  to 
be  finished  by  the  plasterer  in  two  coats  for  white-washing ; 
the  height  of  the  first  story  to  be  10  feet,  and  that  of  the  second 
to  vary  from  8^  to  9^,  according  to  the  height  or  proportion  of 
the  building. 

It  would  have  been  veiy  easy  to  make  these  designs  more 
architectural  in  style,  and  more  attractive  by  external  orna- 
ments. But,  in  om-  opinion,  this  would  have  destroyed  in  a 
good  degree  the  honesty  of  character  and  truthfulness  of 
expression  which  constitute  the  highest  beauty  of  a  farm-house. 
As  soon  as  our  farmers  grow  wealthy  enough  to  require  larger 
and  more  architectural  dwellings,  architects  of  ability  will  arise 
to  satisfy  those  wants. 


DESIGN  xrv. — A  Symmetncal  FarTn-House  of  Stone  and 
Rough-cast. 

If  we  have  among  our  readers  a  single  farmer  who  is 
ambitious,  who  loves  show  on  the  sm-face,  who  likes  to  dazzle 
passers-by  with  a  great  shingle  palace  stuck  full  of  windows,  he 
will  by  no  means  admire  or  approve  of  this  design. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  every  reader  who  is  a  farmer  at 

heart,   who  loves   his   farming  life   because  it  is   simple  and 

honest  and    unpretending,   because   it  has  no  sham    and  no 

artifice,  who  wishes  his  home  to  be  significant  of  this  very 

10 


146  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

life,  will  certainly  find  something  agreeable  and  satisfactory 
in  this  plan  of  a  farm-house. 

A  glance  at  the  design  tells  ns  that  this  is  a  dwelling  for  a 
northern  climate — its  thick  walls,  steep  roof,  and  air  of  comfort 
giving  lis  the  index  to  this  fact  immediately. 

"Whatever  beauty  our  readers  may  find  in  a  farm-house  built 
after  this  design,  they  may  be  sure  it  will  not  be  purchased  at 
the  ex|iense  of  truthfulness.  It  has  undeniably  the  merit  of 
"  expressing  the  subject," — of  looking  like  a  farm-house.  And 
since,  as  we  have  already  remarked,  we  should  not  and  ought 
not  to  look  for  elaborate  architecture  in  a  farmer's  dweUing, 
we  think  the  beauty  which  it  possesses  is  of  the  most  satis- 
factory kind — that  is,  it  expresses  the  beauty  of  a  farmer's  life 
— it  is  simple,  honest,  strong,  and  frank — so  that  it  teUs  its 
story  at  a  glance.  While  it  is  humble  and  unambitious,  it  is 
not  mean  nor  meager.  It  looks  as  though  you  might  find  it 
among  blossoming  orchards  and  green  pastures,  and  no  more 
question  its  right  to  be  there  than  you  would  the  right  of  the 
very  trees  over  your  head  or  tlu'  turf  under  your  feet. 

We  have  purposely  avoided  much  of  scientific  or  ornamental 
details  in  this  design  ;  the  "  sjiringing  stones"  at  the  comers  of 
the  eaves,  and  the  quoins  or  corner-stones — roughly  dressed  by 
the  hammer  of  the  mason — give  something  of  strength  as  well 
as  architectural  meaning  beyond  what  we  find  in  farm-houses 
built  without  regard  to  any  thing  but  the  severest  utility.  But 
in  its  truthful  and  sincere  expression  of  a  fanner's  life,  in  the 
symmetry  of  its  form,  and  the  fitness  of  its  proportions,  lie 
whatever  of  merit  may  be  found  in  this  design.  Its  type  may 
be  found  in  the  farm-houses  of  the  Middle  States  in  a  thousand 
instances — we  have  only  purified  and  elevated  the  character  of 


DESIGNS  POK  FARM-HOUSES.  147 

the  original — and  we  should  be  glad  to  find  so  good  a  fonn  as 
this  adopted  at  the  north,  wherever  stone  is  abundant  as  a 
building  material. 

Accommodation.  Our  aim  in  the  plan,  of  this  house  (see 
Fig.  59),  is  to  accommodate  the  family  of  a  farmer  in  comfort- 
able circumstances — a  family  above  want,  independent  through 
its  own  labor,  but  with  little  or  no  superfluous  means.  Such 
a  family  will  prize  convenience,  snugness,  and  comfort  more 
than  display;  and  we  have  endeavored  to  meet  its  wishes  by 
making  the  living-room  or  kitchen  the  best  and  largest  apart- 
ment in  the  house — ^with  a  good  pantry,  a  wood-house,  a  milk- 
room,  and  a  bed-room  or  nm-sery,  all  commimicating  with  it— 
so  that  as  few  steps  as  possible  need  be  taken  to  perform  the 
household  labors.  The  parlor  is  placed  in  an  appropriate  and 
accessible  position — communicating  with  the  front  entiy — and 
opening  into  a  bed-room,  which  would  probably  be  the  bed- 
room of  the  mistress  of  the  house — in  which  case  it  could 
always  be  reached  from  the  kitchen  without  going  through  the 
parlor,  by  passing  through  the  nursery  or  childi-en's  bed-room. 

The  open  porch,  of  hewn  timber  (either  painted  of  a  stone 
color,  to  harmonize  with  the  outside  walls,  or  stained  and  oile<l, 
to  show  the  grain  of  the  wood),  is  a  feature  which  we  think  one 
of  the  most  important  to  the  expression  of  this  dwelling,  both  as 
regards  beauty  and  comfort.  Its  size,  and  the  seats  on  each 
side  of  it,  point  out  its  use — since  it  answers  the  pm-pose  of 
a  veranda,  with  much  less  cost.  Covered  by  the  grape-vine, 
such  a  porch  is  at  once  a  beautiful  and  a  most  agreeable 
feature  to  the  eye  of  the  passer-by.  It  gives  him,  at  a  glance, 
the  key-note  to  a  refinement,  quite  compatible  with  a  farmer's 
life — a  refinement  not  less  real  than  that  seen  in  another  class 


14:8  OCUNTEY   HOUSES. 

of   country  houses  or  ornamental   cottages — but  simpler  and 
less  fanciful  in  its  manifestation. 


[Fig.  60.    Chamber  Floor.] 

The  second  floor  of  this  design,  Fig.  60,  shows  four  bed- 
rooms. At  a  is  a  nan'ow  flight  of  stairs,  leading  to  a  garret, 
which  is  lighted  by  a  dormer  window  or  sky-light  placed  in  the 
roof  of  the  opposite  side  of  the  house. 

Variation.  This  design  may  be  cheapened  by  the  omission 
of  the  two  wings,  and  by  placing  in  the  rear  a  back  porch  and 
wood-house,  about  the  size  of  the  front  porch — making  the 
middle  window  of  the  rear  a  back  door  to  the  kitchen  or 
living-room.  Tliis  would  lessen  the  cost  considerably  ;  but  a 
good  bed-room  on  the  fli*st  floor  would  be  sacrificed,  and  the 
good  efiect  in  this  design,  which  grows  out  of  the  symmetiy 
and  the  extent  on  the  first  floor,  would  be  lost — though  the 
house  would  still  present  a  good  ap})earance. 

Another  variation,  which  would,  on  the  other  hand,  con- 
siderably improve  tliis  design,  consists  in  turning  the  right 
wing  into  a  kitchen — leaving  the  living-room  to  be  strictly  a 
living  or  sitting  room.  The  wood-house  may,  in  this  case, 
eitlier  be  a  separate  building,  or  it  may  be  contained  in  the 
back  porch  just  referred  to  in  the  fii-st  variation. 

Construction.    The  walls  of  this  house  are  20  inches  or  2 


DESIGNS  FOE   FAEM-HOUSES.  149 

feet  thick,  and  built  of  any  rough  rubble  or  cobble  stones  easily 
and  cheaply  obtained  on  the  farm — laid  up,  without  hammering, 
in  what  is  called,  random  com-ses — and  then  plastered  or 
dashed  with  rough-cast,  as  described  page  66.  By  laying  up 
the  angles,  and  the  jambs,  sills,  and  heads  of  the  windows,  with 
good  building-stone,  hammer  dressed,  and  projecting  a  little 
more  than  the  face  of  the  wall  when  covered  with  rough-cast, 
these  quoins  and  dressed  stones  will  not  only  give  architec- 
tural character  to  the  building,  but  they  will  also  protect  the 
rough-cast  from  injury  at  the  most  exposed  points.  The  top  of 
the  wall,  at  the  gables,  is  coped  with  a  com'se  of  flat  blue-stone, 
or  slate  laid  in  hydraulic  cement,  or  in  mortar  to  which  one- 
third  fresh  brick-dust,  from  the  kiln,  has  been  added. 

The  windows  of  this  house  are  supposed  to  have  inside 
shutters,  folding  back  in  the  jambs,  but  outside  shutter  blinds 
may  be  used  instead. 

There  is  a  cellar  under  the  whole  of  the  main  building — the 
stairs  to  which  descend  under  the  flight  in  the  entry — and  an 
outside  door  which  may  be  provided  in  any  position  most 
convenient. 

To  preserve  the  proportions  in  the  elevation,  the  first  story 
should  be  10  feet  high,  in  the  clear,  and  the  second  story  8^ 
feet. 

Many  persons  would  raise  the  second  story  of  this  farm-house 
high  enough  to  admit  of  a  full  second  story,  and  of  front  and 
rear  windows  to  the  bed-rooms.  TVe  would  not  do  this, 
partly  because  we  think  the  bed-rooms  in  this  plan  could  be 
made  as  comfortable  and  agreeable  as  any  farmer  living  in  this 
house  would  desire — for  it  is  only  for  the  more  leism-ely  class 
that  we  are  obliged  to  provide  luxurious  sleeping-rooms,  the 


15' »  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

farmer's  "habits  of  industry  securing  him  the  enjoyment  of  a 
sound  rest  without  down  pillows ;  and,  partly,  because  to  raise 
this  design  from  a  story-and-a-half  to  a  two-story  house  not 
only  adds  somctliing  to  the  cost,  but  takes  away  from  that 
rural,  lowly,  contented  expression  which  we  have  aimed  at, 
and  which  we  chiefly  like  in  this  design. 

Estimate.  Tlie  cost  of  this  design,  finished  plainly,  and  with 
walls  for  white-washing,  would  be  about  §1200 — supposing  the 
farmer  to  deliver  all  the  materials  himself  If  the  stones 
can  be  procured  on  the  farm,  with  only  the  trouble  of 
collecting  them,  and  if  the  farmer  render  all  the  necessary 
labor  in  digging  the  cellar  and  drawing  the  materials,  this 
house  could  be  built  in  most  pails  of  the  country  for  $  1000 — 
and,  under  very  favorable  circumstances,  for  a  little  less  than 
the  latter  sum. 

DESIGN    XV. — A  Farnv-Tioiuse  in  the  Swiss  mannei'. 

There  is  something  peculiarly  rural  and  domestic  in  the 
character  of  the  Swiss  farm-houses.  Their  broad  roofs,  open 
galleries,  and  simple  and  bold  construction  are  significant  of 
sti-ength  and  fitness,  in  a  countiy  at  once  jiicturesque  and 
pastoral.  But  there  are  striking  defects  in  the  arrangement  of 
these  farm-houses — such  as  that  oi"  having  the  stable  in  the 
cellars  or  basement, — which  no  intelligent  American  farmer 
would  tolerate  in  his  dwelling.  (Jur  sketch  in  Fig.  61  therefore 
can  scarcely  be  called  Swiss,  in  a  strict  sense,  since  we  have 
purposely  made  it  s^  simple  in  its  exterior  as  to  lose  some  of 
those  details  by  which  we  most  commonly  recognize  the  Swiss 
chalet.     But  it  retains  those  featm-es  best  adapted  to  our  wants 


DESIGN     XV 

A     TAUM    IlorSE    IN    Tin;    SWISS    MANNKK 


l-W      f, 


11     1..II 


DESIGNS   h'Oli   FAKM-IIOUSES. 


151 


and  while  it  forms  au  agreeable  whole,  it  has  nothing  in  it-; 
construction  or  details  wliicli  an  American  farmer  would 
reject,  from  want  of  fitness  or  local  truth. 


Though  a  farm-house  in  this  simple  and  unpretending  manner 


152  COUNTRY    IIorSES. 

may  l»c  jtlacod  with  ]iropriety  in  almost  any  rural  landscape, 
yet  tlic  cili-et  <»f  tliis  ntyle  is  always  most  satisfactory  in  rather 
wild,  liilly,  or  mountainous  countries.  Backed  against  a  hill  or 
at  the  side  of  a  valley,  these  broad  and  stroncj  roofs  seem  formed 
to  protect  the  building  against  snow-slides — while  the  low  and 
8})reading  character  of  the  structure  contrasts  well  with  the 
boldness  and  height  of  the  hills  about  it. 

The  true  Swiss  cottage  is  always  built  of  wood,  and  often 
shows  a  great  deal  of  ornamental  work  in  the  brackets  which 
support  the  roof,  as  well  as  the  borders  to  the  doors  and 
windows,  etc.  Tlie  lower  story  being  devoted  to  domestic 
animals,  the  living-rooms  are  raised  several  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  ground,  and  are  reached  by  a  flight  of  steps  outside. 
Frequently  all  this  outside  ornamental  work  is  done  in  a  rude 
manner,  with  the  axe  alone,  and  the  effect  is  more  picturesque 
and  rustic,  and  therefore  better  suited  to  rural  buildings  than 
highly  finished  carpentry.  Fig.  63,  which  we  borrow  from  an 
English  journal,  shows  a  Swiss  farm  cottage,  built  in  England, 
in  a  style  highly  I'ustic  and  picturesque,  from  which  s<;>me 
hints  may  be  taken  in  the  construction  of  this  class  of  build- 
ings. 

Tlie  long  veranda,  8  feet  wide,  which  surrounds  the  wlmlc  of 
our  Design,  Fig.  Gl,  not  only  forms  a  most  comfortable  and 
agreeable  feature  in  this  farm-house,  but  it  aftbrds  an  excellent 
place  for  drying  various  fruits  and  vegetables,  under  cover, — a 
]>lace  much  prized  by  families  in  many  parts  of  the  country 
whei'C  these  pi-oducts  ai-e  abundant.  If  to  each  of  the  posts 
or  colunms  of  this  veranda  a  hardy  grape-vine,  such  as  the 
Isabella  or  Catawba,  is  planted,  or  grapes  on  tlie  south  side  and 
hops  on  the  north  side,  excellent  and  valuable  crops  and  nnich 


DESIGNS  FOR  FAKM-HOUSES.  153 

beauty  of  effect  will  be  combined.  "Whatever  vines  are  trained 
on  the  supports  to  the  veranda  will  of  coui'se  be  pnined  and 
trained  by  the  feminine  inmates  of  such  a  farm-house,  which,  in 
a  labor-scarce  country  like  this,  is  something  to  be  borne  in 
mind  by  every  fanner. 

Accommodation.  We  offer  the  plan  of  this  farm-house  as 
one  not  only  exceedingly  convenient  and  comfortable,  but  so 
spacious  and  agreeable  as  to  recommend  it  to  the  adoption  of  a 
large  class  of  om'  agricultural  population. 

The  entrance  hall  (Fig.  63)  is  an  airy  and  pleasant  ante- 
room, opening  into  a  pleasant  parlor  on  the  front,  and  an 
equally  pleasant  living-room  on  the  south  side  of  the  house. 

The  kitchen  and  li^dng-room  are  here  distinct,  a  superior 
arrangement  to  om-  last  Design — and  one  which  is  desirable 
in  all  farm-houses,  when  the  owner  is  not  closely  limited  in 
his  means — because  it  enables  the  family  always  to  j)reserve  a 
comfortable  and  orderly  aspect  in  the  living-room,  superior  to 
what  necessarily  belongs  to  the  kitchen. 

Among  the  good  points  of  the  arrangement  of  this  floor,  we 
may  point  out,  that  in  the  hack  entry^  leading  out  fi-om  the 
kitchen,  there  is  a  second  flight  of  stairs  for  the  farm  laborers 
to  ascend  to  the  chamber  floor  without  the  necessity  of  entering 
the  front  hall — a  decided  advantage  in  point  of  cleanliness 
and  order.  From  this  back  entry  we  also  enter  the  dairy 
or  milk-room,  8  by  9  feet.  This  room  is  not  intended  for 
the  daiiy-room  for  a  large  dairy-farm,  properly  so  called, 
because  such  a  room  should  be  in  a  cool  basement,  or  cellar 
story,  or,  which  is  better,  in  a  detached  stone  building  in  a 
suitable,  shaded  place ;  it  is  intended  for  that  secondary  dairy, 
needful   in   every  farm-house  as  a  room   for  milk  Avanted   for 


54 


CWUNTRY   HOUSES. 


daily  use  at  all  timcB,  and  fur  the  dairy  proper,  at  seasons  when 
there  is  little  space  needed  for  milk  or  butter. 

Adjoining  the  living-room  is  a  good  pantry,  and  adjoining 
the  kitclien  a  wood-house,  with  two  kitchen  closets  on  either 
side  of  the  fire-place. 


.1 

. M.-.-.-.  ..  . 

GAL  LE  RY 

8  xi<5 

11/- 

8X8 

14  X  1(5 

12X14     1 

■^ 

^... 

15X14 

8  X  12 

■     1" 

GALLERY 

xa 

r 

U 

Bv 


[Tig.  64.    Cliaiiiber  Floor.] 

The  second  floor.  Fig.  64,  contains  six  bed-rooms, 
inclosing  a  small  part  of  the  gallery  under  the  roof,  on  each 
end,  four  nice  closets,  4  bv  8  feet,  are  obtained.  Indeed,  a 
range  of  low  clothes-presses,  or  closets,  for  all  the  rooms,  may 
be  taken  out  of  the  waste  space  under  the  roof  where  it  extends 
over  the  veranda  on  each  side.  The  two  middle  bed-rooms  are 
each  lighted  by  a  dormer  window  in  the  roof,  and  the  others  by 
the  windows  in  the  gallery. 

Tliere  is  a  cellar  under  the  wliole  liouse. 

Construction.    Planed  and  matched  floor  plank  for  weather- 
boarding,  put  on  in  the  vertical  manner,  the  roof  covered  with 


DESIGNS   FOK  FAKM-H0U8ES.  155 

shingles,  the  posts  for  the  veranda  of  hewn  oak,  cedar,  or 
chestnut,  with  a  simple  hand-rail  of  pine  between  them.  The 
gable  may  be  finished  quite  plainly,  or  with  the  simple  verge- 
board  shown  more  clearly  in  Fig.  62.  The  windows  would 
scarcely  need  blinds,  being  so  well  protected  by  the  veranda.* 

We  like  the  hospitable,  homely,  and  generous  look  of  the 
principal  chimney  in  this  house.  Most  modem  chimneys  have 
a  lean  and  starved  appearance,  indicative  of  the  scarcity  of 
fuel  to  put  in  their  throats,  or  rather  of  smoke  to  fill  their 
stomachs — owing  to  the  almost  universal  use  of  anthracite  coal 
in  our  towns.  But  the  farmer,  who  is  supposed  to  have  plenty 
of  wood  as  well  as  plenty  of  wholesome  cheer,  and  all  of  his 
own  growth,  should  abjure  all  lank  and  starved  chiumeys,  and 
should  show  by  the  pile  of  bricks  in  his  chimney-stacks  that 
there  is  room  both  to  boil  the  pot  and  gather  round  the  cheerful 
fireside  under  his  roof. 

A  house  built  after  this  plan  would  last  a  long  time,  because 
the  exterior,  with  "the  exception  of  the  roof  itself,  is  completely 
protected  from  the  weather.  The  chimneys  all  being  in  the 
centre,  no  heat  would  be  lost  in  winter,  while  the  lower  story 
would  be  very  cool  in  summer,  and  the  bed-rooms  above  would, 
if  ventilated  as  we  shall  presently  point  out,  be  airy  even  in 
midsummer. 

It  will  be  easy  to  make  this  long  veranda  expensive,  if  the 
farmer  allows  the  cai-penter  to  seduce  him  into  "  nice  work" 
for  his  posts  and  hand-rail — ^while  if  he  keeps  the  whole  as 

*  Some  of  our  readers  may  think  that  rooms  would  be  too  dark  with  so  much 
veranda — but  in  this  bright  atmosphere  there  is  no  fear  of  this — indeed,  the  necessity 
of  blinds  in  all  our  houses  only  proves  that  the  great  desideratum  here  is  to  have  our 
windows  sufficiently  screened. 


loG  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

severe  and  8imi)le  as  possible,  tnisting  to  vines  for  decoration, 
he  will  be  able  to  obtain  it  for  a  reasonable  sum. 

As  the  weather-boarding  of  this  farm-house  is  but  little 
exposed,  instead  of  painting  it,  the  farmer  may  produce  a 
pleasing  efl'ect  by  stainmg  the  natural  grain  [see  Section  on 
MisceUaneotis  Details]^  so  as  to  give  the  wood  the  color  of  old 
<»ak.  This  will  have  a  warm,  rich,  and  excellent  effect,  will 
preserve  the  wood  well,  and  may  all  be  done  without  the 
assistance  of  the  painters. 

Estimate.  A  practical  builder  in  Rochester  has  estimated 
the  cost  of  erecting  this  farm-house  there  at  $  1200.  The 
estimate  here  for  building  it  in  a  plain  and  substantial  man- 
ner is  $1,440.  This  supposes  all  the  work  to  be  done  by 
the  builder  without  any  assistance  from  the  farmer;  but 
supposing  the  latter  to  be  able,  as  most  farmers  are,  to  fmnish 
all  the  stone  for  foundation  walls,  and  a  j»art  of  the  timber  for 
the  building,  the  cost  may  be  reduced  to  from  $  1000  to  $  1,200. 

DESIGN  XVI.— ^  Bracketed  Fa/rm-House  of  Wood. 

The  proportions  of  this  iUrni-lioupc  are  good,  the  form  is  a 
simple  and  pleasing  one,  and  the  impression  it  produces  upon 
the  judgment  is  that  of  a  roomy,  substantial,  comfortable,  and 
sensible  house.  It  looks  essentially  like  a  country  house,  and 
while  it  has  rather  more  dignity  than  most  farm-houses,  there 
is  neither  ambition  nor  ostentation  visible  in  its  exterior.  On 
the  contrary,  the  rather  low  and  broad  chimney-stacks  and  the 
truncated  gables  show  that  there  is  a  desire  to  aA<»id  any 
especial  affectation  of  elegance.  It  is,  in  short,  a  design  which 
might  be  built  in  any  part  of  the  Union,  and  would  be 
recognized  as  a  country  house  of  some  importance — while   it 


DKSIGN     XVI 

KKACKF.TKIJ    FARM    IIUUSP,    OK    Wont) 


^."'.  '-v^-c 


Fi-    ' 


iMi-vrirAi.   Fi.iM)i; 
Vitl.  (i<; 


DESIGNS  FOR  FAEM-HOUSES. 


157 


has  no  featui-e  out  of  keeping  with  the  position  and  life  of  a 
farmer  in  independent  circumstances. 

Accommodation.  The  exterior  of  this  design  is  our  own, 
but  the  arrangement  of  the  fii'st  floor  (Fig.  66)  we  borrow 
fi'om  one  of  Mr.  Loudon's  farm-houses.  It  is  spacious  and 
comfortable,  without  sacrificing  too  much  to  the  parlor  and 
li^dng-room.  The  back  door  opens,  it  will  be  seen,  into  the 
scullery — which  may  be  a  wash-room  or  back  kitchen.  The 
passage  which  runs  from  the  kitchen  to  the  dairy  should  be 
lighted  by  a  small  sash  of  ground  glass,  placed  in  the  partition 
of  the  scullery,  exactly  opposite  the  back  door. 

In  many  cases  in  this  country,  the  dairy-room  being  in  a  sepa- 
rate building,  persons  adopting  this  design  would  prefer  to  turn 
the  room  devoted  to  this  use,  on  this  floor,  into  a  bed-room — 
making  the  pantry  a  milk-room,  and  diminishing  the  size  of  the 
scullery  sufiicient  to  take  a  jDantry  out  of  the  space  occupied  by  it. 

Indeed,  the  ease  with  which  this  kind  of  parallelogram  plan 
may  be  varied  to  suit  difierent  wants  will  occur  to  every  one  of 
the  least  ingenuity ;  and  we  therefore  ofier  the  exterior,  as  the 
most  needful  portion,  as  a  guide  to  the  mode  of  building  to  be 
adopted. 


[Fig.  67.    Second  story.] 


158  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

The  second  story  of  this  design,  Fig.  67,  shows  six  bed- 
rooms. 

The  roof  of  this  dwelling  being  large  and  hipped,  gives 
a  spacious  and  convenient  garret,  which  is  of  great  value 
in  any  coimtry  house,  and  especially  to  the  farmer.  Three 
good  bed-rooms  for  workmen  can  be  finished  off  in  this  attic, 
or  four — if  a  gable  like  that  in  jfront  is  formed  on  the  rear 
roof. 

The  porch  (as  will  be  seen  by  trying  the  scale  attached  to 
Fig.  65)  is  9  by  20  feet. 

A  cellar  is  intended  to  be  built  imder  the  whole  house — and 
there  should  be  a  back  porch,  which  may  be  large  enough  to 
contain  a  woodrlwusG  (in  which  this  plan  is  deficient),  or,  at 
least,  to  communicate  with  one. 

Construction.  This  house  may  be  built,  with  good  effect, 
either  of  stone,  brick,  rough-cast,  or  wood.  "We  suppose,  it,  in 
the  elevation,  for  the  sake  of  economy,  to  be  built  of  wood,  in 
the  vertical  boarding  manner. 

The  first  story  is  eleven  feet  in  tne  clear,  the  second  story 
nine  feet.  The  house  is  to  be  finished  with  brown  walls  for 
white-washing,  the  windows  to  have  rising  sashes,  and  both 
these  and  the  doors  to  be  finished  with  plain  architraves  with 
simple  back  mouldings  ;  tlie  doors  in  the  fii'st  and  second  story 
to  have  four  panels  each ;  the  hand-rail  and  balusters  to  be  of 
oak  or  black-walnut,  and  the  whole  to  be  executed  in  a  very 
simple  and  plain,  but  substantial  manner. 

Estimate.  To  build  this  house  here  in  the  manner  we  have 
indicated,  with  planed  and  matched  weather-boarding,  and  the 
whole  filled-in  witli  brick,  would  cost  about  $2000.  At 
Kochester,  where  lumber  may  be  taken  at  the  average  price, 


|)ESI(;n    XVII 


rAi;»i   iiorsi;  in  tiiu  fnci.ism   nrii.vi,  vrvr.t 


Imm   <;i 


IKI.N'IIAI.    H.'MIK 
fV      (is 


I. ill 


DESIGNS  FOK  FAEM-H0U8ES.  159 

it  is  placed  as  low  as  $1477,  but  this  estimate  is  without  filling- 
in  of  any  kind,  and  without  outside  blinds  or  shutters. 

DESIGN  xvn.— ^  Farm-House  m  the  English  Rv/ral  Style. 

To  such  of  our  readers  as  are  looking  for  an  expression  of 
more  beauty  in  a  farm-house,  we  present  this  design. 

We  think  no  one  can  deny  that  it  fully  expresses  the 
subject  intended ;  no  one  can  accuse  this  dwelling  of  having 
any  town-bred  airs — any  cockneyisms  copied  from  streets,  four 
stories  high.  It  has,  on  the  contrary,  an  unmistakable  look  of 
having  been  bom  and  bred  in  the  country.  Its  low  walls,  and 
its  extension  on  the  ground,  show  that  neither  pride,  nor  want 
of  space,  nor  the  love  of  imitation  have  been  at  work  to 
destroy  its  honest  and  truthful  rm'al  character.  There  is  an 
open,  honest  expression  in  its  simple  and  broad  windows,  a 
strength  and  stm'diness  in  its  low  and  soKd  walls,  a  look  of 
homely,  hospitable  shelter  in  its  broad  overhanging  roof,  which 
altogether  aifect  us  with  the  feeling  of  beauty,  because,  like 
agreeable  lines  and  features  in  the  face,  they  are  manifestations 
of  the  inti'insic  goodness  of  the  mind  within. 

Besides  these,  we  must  observe  a  feeling  for  the  beauty  of 
superior  forms  evinced  in  the  well-moulded  chimneys,  the  bay- 
window  and  balcony,  and  even  the  bracketed  veranda-posts, 
which  shows  something  more  than  truthfulness  and  beauty  of 
purpose  :  they  evince  a  love  of  the  abstract  or  absolute  beauty 
of  form,  and  a  love  of  it  always  kept  subordinate  to  the  truth- 
fulness of  the  object  to  be  attained. 

In  saying  that  this  is  a  farm-house  in  the  English  rural  style, 
we  do  not  mean  that  it  is  a  copy  of  any  building  in  England ; 


160  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

but  tliat  in  designing  it  we  have  seized  upon  that  manifestation 
of  rural  and  domestic  beauty  in  architecture  which  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  race  feels  more  powerfully  and  more  instinctively  than 
any  other ;  and  of  which  the  English,  who  have  had  so  much 
longer  time  than  ourselves  to  work  out  these  finer  rural  instincts, 
have  given  such  admirable  examples. 

To  a  great  many  merely  trading  and  delving  farmers  this 
fai'm-house  will  not  be  acceptable ;  and  this  for  no  fault  of 
theirs,  but  either  because  it  is  not  sufficiently  matter-of-fact  or 
not  sufficiently  showy  to  express  their  characters.  It  has  too 
much  poetry,  truth,  and  nature  in  it  for  them.  But  to  those 
who  have  some  sentiment,  and  can  see  in  material  forms,  even 
in  the  structure  of  a  house,  manifestations  of  heart  and  feeling, 
this  farm-cottage  will  only  require  to  be  seen  to  be  at  once 
admired. 

These  truncated  gables  would  be  the  first  things  objected  to 
by  an  uncultivated  builder,  or  even  a  pedantic  architect,  as 
unmeaning  and  valueless.  In  our  eyes  they  are,  in  a  farm- 
house, sources  of  beauty  and  picturesqueness.  They  give  an 
air  of  rustic  modesty,  the  very  opposite  to  the  highly  finished 
artistic  beauty  of  the  regular  pediinont  or  the  carved  gables — 
an  effect  which  is  peculiarly  expressive  of  honest,  homely, 
unaffected  comitry  character.  United  to  a  broad  roof  of  this 
kind,  they  express  an  easy,  unrestrained,  unconventional  com- 
fort, which  compares  with  the  highly-finished,  architectural 
style  of  an  elaborate  villa,  as  the  wide,  shadowy  straw-hat  Mltli 
which  the  farmer  covers  his  head  in  the  easiest  and  most  com- 
fortable manner,  docs  with  the  exact  and  polished  beaver  of  the 
man  of  undisputed  fashion. 

Wliile,  therefore,  we  could  never  use  a  truncated  gable  in  u 


DESIGNS   FOK  FAEM-HOUSES.  161 

building  where  architectural  character,  or,  what  we  may  call 
the  science  of  the  subject,  should  predominate  over  its  natwe 
feeling^  we  think  it  may  be  used  most  happily  in  all  raral 
dwellings,  where  a  simple,  and  wholly  unpretending  honesty  of 
feeling  and  character  is  to  be  expressed — as  is  particularly  the 
case  in  the  farmer's  dwelling. 

Accommodation.  An  examination  of  Fig.  68  will  show  that 
this  is  quite  an  irregular  house,  and  that  the  main  portion  of  it 
has  been  planned,  not  for  elegance,  but  for  utility.  There  is 
certainly  a  pretty  parlor — with  a  tasteful  bay-window  on  one 
side,  and  a  veranda  in  front — but  the  rest  of  the  house  is  purely 
for  the  wants  of  every-day  life. 

By  placing  the  chimney-stack  where  we  have,  it  will  be 
seen  that  it  senses  for  three  apartments — the  living-room,  the 
bed-room,  and  the  back  kitchen.  This  back  kitchen  has  a 
fixed  boiler  for  heating  water ;  and  if  a  cooking  stove  is  placed 
in  it,  all  the  rougher  work  of  the  household  may  be  done  here, 
so  that  the  living-room  will,  in  fact,  be  only  a  sitting  and 
dining  room.  Under  the  broad  window,  in  a  part  of  this  back 
kitchen,  is  a  large  sink,  to  facilitate  the  culinary  operations ; 
hence  this  apartment,  though  not  large,  will  be  found  most 
convenient. 

The  exterior  of  the  bay-window,  in  Fig.  67,  shows  how  a 
villa-like  feature  may  be  adapted  to  a  farm-house,  by  its  modest 
and  simple  form. 

The  rear  building,  which  contains  the  wood-house,  milk- 
room,  and  covered  passage  to  the  door  of  the  back  kitchen,  is 
only  one  story  high,  and,  being  in  the  rear,  may,  for  economy, 
be  built  of  wood,  and  painted,  so  as  to  correspond  in  color 
with  the  main  building. 

11 


162 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


[Fig.  69.    Chamber  Floor.] 

In  the  chamber  floor,  Fig.  69,  will  be  found  four  bed-rooms, 
and  three  large  closets,  besides  a  linen  closet,  a,  in  the  passage. 

Construction.  This  design  should  be  built  of  solid  mate- 
rials, and  would  look  well  in  stone  or  brick,  tlie  latter  either 
properly  colored,  or  stuccoed.  In  our  design  we  have  shown  it 
as  it  would  appear  built  of  rough  stones,  and  covered  externally 
with  a  coat  of  rough-cast,  like  Design  XIII. — not  only  because 
this  is  the  cheapest,  warmest,  and  dryest  mode  of  building  a 
stone  house,  but  also  because  it  does  not  require  blocks 
quarried  of  such  regular  forms  and  sizes  as  are  usually 
denominated  "  building  stone"  by  masons,  but  only  such  small 
and  irregular  jjit^ces  as  stone  fences  are  usually  built  of,  and 
which  are  found  in  abundance  on  every  farm  in  many  parts  of 
the  United  States,  and  more  especially  in  New  England  and 
the  Middle  States. 

The  rough-cast,  when  put  on,  should  be  colored  by  the 
addition  of  sufficient  yellow  ochre  and  hydraulic  lime  to  give  it 
a  mellow  fa^\^l,  or  warm  gray  color,  and  the  chinmeys  (which 
are  to  be  brick)  as  well  as  all  the  wood-work,  should  be  colored 
or  painted,  to  accord  with  the  body  of  the  building. 


•-.•'« 


i>r,  siCN   xvuj 

1  MKITIli    AMKIilCAN    FAKM    ll"t    I 


Fisr.  7n 


~K^ 


'  ■  ■   ^    ■  •  •  ■ 


lltlM  ll-AI.     11,1'Ml! 

I'lt;   Tl 


H  i<;;< 


DESIGNS   FOR  FARM-HOUSES.  163 

In  the  elevation  of  this  farm-house,  the  appearance  of  the 
whole  veranda,  and  especially  the  columns  or  posts  which 
support  it,  are,  by  an  error  in  the  engraving,  represented  too 
elender  and  delicate  to  agree  with  the  style  and  character  of 
the  rest  of  the  design.  They  should,  in  construction,  be  made 
much  bolder  and  stronger  than  they  appear  in  the  perspective. 

The  first  stoiy  of  this  design  is  10  feet,  and  the  second  story 
9i  feet  high  (in  the  centre  of  the  room).  The  roof  projects  2 
feet  9  inches.  A  cellar  should  be  constructed  imder  the  whole 
— with  the  exception  of  the  back  wdng,  containing  the  wood- 
house,  etc. 

Estimate.  Built  of  rubble  stones  and  rough-cast,  and  sup- 
posing the  stones  to  be  fornished  from  the  faiTa,  this  design 
may  be  erected  for  about  $  1800.  If  constructed  of  good  build- 
ing stones,  so  as  to  show  a  smooth-faced  wall,  it  would  cost 
from  $  2200  to  $  2500,  according  to  the  value  of  such  materials 
on  the  spot.  The  ii*regularity  of  this  design,  of  course,  makes 
it  more  costly  than  such  a  simple  and  regular  form  as  the 
preceding  one,  although  that  contains  a  greater  number  of 
square  feet  of  room. 

DESIGN  xvin.— ^  hrcbcketed  Fa/rm^Twuse  in  the  American  Style. 

If  we  call  this  style  American,  it  is  only  because  we  foresee 
that  our  climate  and  the  cheapness  of  wood  as  a  building 
material,  in  most  parts  of  the  country,  will,  for  a  long  time  yet, 
lead  us  to  adopt  this  as  the  most  pleasing  manner  of  building 
rm-al  edifices  of  an  economical  character. 

K  we  compare  this  with  Design  XYII.,  we  shall  directly  see 
how  the  character  of  a  farm-house  may  be  manifested  in  dif- 


164  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

ferent  materials  and  under  the  iuliueuce  of  ditiferent  climates 
and  habits.  While  the  general  expression  of  this  elevation 
(Fig.  TO)  is  not  milike  that  of  the  preceding  one — which  is 
essentially  English,  and  while  it  exhibits  no  ostentation  im- 
becoming  an  American  farmer,  there  is,  perhaps,  in  this 
house,  a  little  more  independence  and  a  little  less  lowliness 
manilested,  both  being  expressed  in  the  higher  stories,  and  tho 
greater  space  from  the  ground  to  the  eaves  in  this  design. 
We  imagine,  therefore,  that  the  majority  of  om-  farming 
readers  will  prefer  the  exterior  of  this  design,  not  simply 
because  it  has  higher  ceilings  in  the  second  stories  (which 
arc  indeed  more  necessary  here  than  in  England,  because  our 
summei's  are  warmer),  but  mainly  because  American  fannere 
love  independence  above  all  things,  and  hence  instinctively 
and  unconsciously  lay  hold  of  any  thing  that  manifests  it; 
and,  perhaps,  we  should  add,  because,  from  the  ambitious 
spirit  too  often  begotten  by  the  constant  effort  to  rise  in 
the  world,  they  are  not  so  likely  to  value  that  beauty  which 
lies  hidden  in  modesty  and  simplicity,  as  are  more  abstract 
lookers-on,  like  architects  and  artists  of  all  kinds. 

Tliis  farm-house  seems  to  us  to  unite  fitness  and  simplicity 
with  as  much  architectural  refinement  of  feature  and  expression 
as  properly  belong  to  the  subject.  There  is  not  an  objection- 
able ornament,  and  though  the  bay-window  and  veranda  are 
dignified  features  of  domestic  architecture,  they  are,  in  this 
simple  and  tasteful  form,  both  suitable  and  expressive  features 
of  our  farm-houses.  We  have  endeavored,  by  trimcating  one 
of  the  gables,  and  by  giving  one  of  the  simplest  and  most 
domestic  fonns  of  rural  chimneys  to  this  building,  to  keep  it 
within  the  bounds  of  truthful  tarm-house  character. 


DESIGNS  FOR  FARM-HOUSES.  165 

Accommodation.  The  interior  of  this  design  is  planned  for 
the  domestic  use  of  a  large  family — with  but  little  regard  to 
any  thing  but  comfort.  It  is  quite  probable,  therefore,  that 
many  of  om'  readers  who  are  looking  for  handsome  parlors 
will  not  be  satisfied  with  the  living-room  in  this  house,  which 
is  all  we  have  offered  them  for  such  an  apartment.  If  so,  they 
can  easily  satisfy  themselves  by  turning  the  bed-room  and 
nursery  into  a  single  room,  14  by  24  feet,  or  else  by  re-arrang- 
ing this  wing  to  suit  themselves. 

The  plan,  as  we  have  given  it,  will,  however,  be  found 
much  more  suitable  for  the  majority  of  farmers'  families  in 
circumstances  demanding  a  house  of  this  class.  The  bed-room 
and  nursery  on  the  fii'st  floor,  and  the  abundance  of  closet  room 
connected  with  them,  will  especially  be  prized  by  farmers' 
wives,  who  prefer  to  have  their  own  daily  comfort  considered, 
before  that  of  guests  whom  they  only  see  on  a  few  great 
occasions. 

On  either  side  of  the  passage,  7  feet  wide,  leading  from  the 
entry  into  the  kitchen,  are  good  store  and  china  closets,  and 
there  is  a  pantry  connected  with  the  living-room  and  a  milk 
pantry  (5  by  6)  opening  near  the  back  door. 

We  have  not  shown  a  wood-house  in  this  plan,  but  it  may 
easily  be  added  as  a  low  wing  in  the  rear. 

The  second-story  plan.  Fig.  72,  gives  five  bed-rooms  of 
various  sizes.  The  narrow  flight  of  stairs  in  this  story  leads  to 
the  attic,  which,  in  this  house,  besides  a  good  deal  of  "  garret 
room,"  contains  three  apartments,  each  lighted  by  a  window  in 
the  gable  where  it  is  placed. 

The  bed-rooms  in  the  second  stoiy  of  this  house  are  9  feet 
high,  and  6  feet  high  at  the  eaves,  so  as,  in  fact,  to  be  nearly 


106 


COUNTEY    HOUSES. 


rr 


12  >il9 


I     Z2X15 


"~1 

9  X13       I 




10X16 


rr 


i6x  ig  II 


'&= 


[Fig.  72.    Chamber  Floor.] 


ftill  height  in  all  parts.  Tlie  firstrfloor  rooms  are  10  feet  high. 
The  roof  projects  2  feet. 

We  greatly  prefer  broad  windows  of  three  compartments 
(like  that  shown  on  the  bay-window  in  Fig.  70)  to  two 
windows  in  such  a  position — because  a  few  large  windows  give 
more  breadth  and  simplicity  to  the  exterior  of  a  country 
house  than  a  great  number  of  small  and  narrow  ones.  In 
hanging  shutter-blinds  on  such  a  window,  however,  the  Itlind 
on  the  central  portion  may  be  fixed,  as  the  two  other  sides  of 
the  window  will,  in  our  bright  climate,  give  an  abmidance  of 
light. 

CoNSTRrcTiON.  Thc  construction  is  of  sound,  planed  and 
matched,  inch  and  a  quarter  jilank,  put  on  in  the  vertical 
manner,  with  battens  to  cover  the  joint — already  so  otlen 
described  in  this  work — tlio  iVamc  to  be  lilled-in  with  cheap 
bricks,  and  thc  whole  to  be  cniistructed  in  a  plain  and  very 
simple,  but  fitting  style,  to  correspond  with  the  character  of  the 
exterior.    Tlie  plastering,  of  course,  to  be  brown  walls,  finished 


I)ES1(;n    XIX 

A    V'ln  riii  i;\    i  ARM    IIOCSE 


iRiNrri'Ai.  FLoon 
Kijr.   74. 


!■    tCl 


DESIGNS   FOR   FAEM-HOUSES.  167 

in  two  coats.     Only  a  simple  back-moulding  is  to  be  put  on  the 
casings  of  the  doors  and  windows  in  either  story. 

EstimaU.  The  estimated  cost  at  Rochester,  taking  Imnber 
at  the  average  price  there,  which,  perhaps,  best  represents  a 
large  part  of  the  farming  district  of  the  IS^orthem  States,  is 
$1676.     On  the  Hudson  it  would  cost  about  $2000. 

DESIGN   XIX. — A  Ncyrthem  Fa/rmrHouse^  for  a  large  Fomn. 

We  call  this  a  nortliem  Fann-house,  because  its  high  and 
steep  roof,  made  to  shed  the  snow  rapidly,  and  its  compact  and 
solid  exterior,  indicate  that  it  grows  out  of  the  wants  of  fanning 
life  in  a  country  with  cold  winters,  though  its  verandas  indicate 
the  luxury  or  comfort  of  shade  in  the  American  summer,  even 
of  the  Northern  States. 

Those  who  have  only  studied  the  architectm'e  of  the  Greeks, 
imagine  a  roof  to  be  an  ugly  feature,  and  think  any  roof-pitch 
higher  than  that  of  a  classic  pediment,  has  no  beauty.  If, 
however,  they  will  study  the  examples  of  the  best  architects  in 
Germany  and  Northern  Europe,  they  will  speedily  modify  their 
opiuions,  for  they  wiU  then  find  that,  in  all  northern  climates,  a 
steep  roof  has  a  meaning  in  it  which  gives  it  great  truthfidness, 
and  which,  rightly  treated,  is  also  a  source  of  beauty. 

Architectm'ally,  this  design  aims  only  at  being  a  country 
dwelling  manifesting  the  strength,  comfort,  and  substantial 
character  of  the  agricultm-al  life.  But  the  inti'oduction  of  the 
verandas,  and  the  completeness  and  orderly  expression  of  the 
composition,  indicate  the  relative  beauty  of  country  life 
intelligently  and  rightly  understood,  and  quite  far  from  all 
pretension  or  affectation. 


168  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

We  liave  introduced  the  curh  roof^  in  order  to  give  more 
space  in  the  attic  or  gan'et  of  the  main  body  of  the  farm-house. 
Jt  ma}  be  ]>ierced  with  dormer  windows  on  two  or  four  sides 
to  suit  the  wants  of  the  owner, — and  it  has  always  a  more 
picturesque  effect  tlian  a  hirge  plain  roof. 

As  to  the  2^^^  of  this  farm-house,  Fig.  Y4,  we  may  safely 
recommend  it  as  one  which  cannot  fail  to  give  satisfaction,  as 
a  farm-house,  in  almost  any  situation.  The  first  floor  not  only 
furnishes  all  the  accommodation  which  the  farmer  actually 
needs,  but  it  gives  it  in  a  most  agreeable  and  convenient  shape. 
The  living-room  and  parlor  are  both  of  good  size ;  the  former, 
which  is  the  hospitable  room  in  a  farmer's  house,  is  handsomely 
and  well  lighted  by  a  bay-window.  The  front  hall,  9  feet  wide, 
opens  out  of  this  room  on  one  side,  and  a  back  entry  or  lobby, 
7  by  8  feet,  connects  it  with  the  kitchen  and  pantry,  as  well  as 
the  kitchen  veranda  on  the  other  side ;  while  a  convenient 
bed-room,  12  by  15  feet,  connects  with  it  directly  in  the  rear. 

A  large  pantry,  8  by  11  feet,  a  dairy  (with  a  separate  door, 
on  the  kitchen  veranda  or  "stoop,"  for  convenient  entrance 
without  coming  into  the  kitchen),  and  wood-house,*  both  of 
ample  size,  complete  the  accommodation  of  this  floor,  and  we 
scarcely  know  how  it  could  be  materially  improved  either  for 
convenience  or  comfort. 

Tlie  second  floor  of  this  farm-house  is  as  spacious  in  its 
capacity  as  that  of  many  villas,  having  no  less  than  8  bed- 
rooms.   A  large  family  would  therefore  be  fiilly  accommodated 


*  The  sraall  flight  of  stairs,  a  (Fig.  74),  leads  up  to  two  small  bed-rooma  (7  by  1 1 
feet  each)  over  the  wood-liouse  and  dairy  (see  Fig.  76),  intended  for  •worknu-n  on 
the  farm. 


DESIGNS   FOE   FARM-HOUSES. 


169 


at  all  times  in  this  dwelling.  Besides  these,  the  main  building 
has  a  garret  over  the  bed-rooms,  to  which  access  is  had  by 
means  of  the  flight  of  stall's  in  the  entry  which  adjoins  the 
bed-room  of  12  by  15  feet. 


[Pig.  75.    Second  Story.] 


CoNSTKucnoN.  The  elevation  of  this  design  shows  that  it  is 
intended  for  solid  materials ;  the  roof  projects  1^-  feet,  and  is 
supported  on  plain  rafter-brackets.  Either  quarried  stone, 
rubble  stone  and  rough-cast,  brick,  or  brick  and  stucco  may  be 
employed  in  the  construction  of  the  walls.  The  ceilings  of  the 
first  story  are  all  10  feet  high.  Those  of  the  bed-rooms  in 
the  main  building   are   9  feet  in  the  wing,   (81   feet  in   the 


170  OOUNTET   HOUSES, 

centre,  and  6  feet  at  the  sides.)  A  cellar  should,  for  a  large 
farm,  be  built  under  the  whole  house,  but  we  have,  in  esti- 
mating the  cost,  only  supjiosed  it  to  extend  under  the  main 
building.  •  • 

Variatum.  A  glance  at  Fig.  74  will  show  how  easily  the 
an-angeraent  of  the  rear  building  can  be  diminished  or  varied, 
as  regards  the  kitchen  accommodation,  to  suit  different  families. 
Farmers  who  cannot  afford  a  large  and  complete  dwelling  at 
first,  but  still  desire  to  commence  what  may  finally  be  made 
such,  may  adopt  the  body  of  this  design — ^using  the  living-room 
as  kitchen  (with  a  mere  shed  in  the  rear  for  back  kitchen, 
wood-house,  ect.),  until  able  to  erect  the  wing  in  the  rear  in  a 
complete  fonn. 

Estimate.  In  many  well-timbered  parts  of  the  country, 
this  house  may  be  erected  in  an  excellent  and  substantial 
manner  for  $2500.  Here,  it  would  cost  about  three  thousand. 
Of  coui'se,  in  cases  where  the  fanner  could  diminish  the 
cost  by  supplying  a  large  portion  of  the  materials  and  labor 
himself,  its  cost  would  be  greatly  lessened — so  that,  in  many 
instances,  the  actual  money  to  be  paid  out  would  not  exceed 
$1800  or  $2000.  But  for  this  sum  he  must  not  allow  the 
carpenter  or  mason  to  seduce  him  into  any  finery — any  stylish 
architraves,  to^^'ll-house  mouldings,  or  "hard  finish."  These 
are  by  no  means  essential,  either  to  the  comfort  or  beauty  of 
the  design,  while  they  add  an  unexpectedly  large  smn  to  the 
whole  bill  of  costs. 

DESIGN  XX. — A   Villa  Fwrm-House  in  the  Bracketed  Style. 
This  dwelling  is  intended  for  the  country  house  of  a  farmer 


DESIGN     XX 

VII.I.A     FARM     IKHS) 


Fi2.    7(i 


I'Ri.NTirAL   Fl.fji'i;. 
Fia    77. 


V    170. 


DESIGNS   FOE  FAEM-HOUSES.  171 

of  wealth,  who  wishes  to  give  his  dwelling  a  dignified  and 
superior  character,  without  indulging  in  too  much  ornament. 

The  exterior,  as  shown  in  the  elevation.  Fig.  76,  is  varied 
and  picturesque,  expressive  of  solidity,  convenience,  comfort, 
and  a  considerable  degree  of  elegance.  The  bay-window  and 
veranda,  taken  in  connection  with  the  construction,  bestow  a 
villa-like  character  on  the  design,  while  the  large  kitchen 
chimney  and  the  absence  of  all  tracery  to  the  gables,  indicate 
a  country  house  of  less  pretension  than  the  highly  ornamental 
cottage  or  villa. 

Accommodation.  The  plan  of  the  first  floor,  Fig.  TY,  shows 
an  enti'ance  hall,  10  feet  wide.  On  either  side  of  these  are  the 
two  principal  apartments — ^the  living-room  and  the  parlor.  By 
connecting  these  two  rooms  and  the  hall  with  large  sliding 
doors,  the  whole  can  be  thrown  into  one  handsome  suite  on 
any  occasion,  and  the  arrangement  will  always  add  to  the 
coolness  and  airiness  of  the  rooms  in  summer. 

At  the  end  of  the  entrance  hall  is  a  staircase  passage  6^  feet 
wide,  leading  to  the  kitchen,  dairy  or  milk-room,  wood-house,  etc. 

The  kitchen  has  a  large  pantry,  and  the  living-room  a  small 
one,  both  lighted  by  one  of  the  front  windows. 

There  is  a  comfortable  bed-room  14  by  17  feet  on  this  floor. 
This  room  could  easily  be  finished  as  a  library,  if  that  change 
of  purpose  is  preferred ;  in  which  case  it  could  be  connected 
with  the  parlor,  by  opening  a  door  on  one  or  both  sides  of  the 
fireplace. 

The  plan  of  the  second  floor,  Fig.  78,  affords  six  good  bed- 
rooms. The  front  bed-room,  15  by  16  feet,  with  the  nurseiy 
attached,  is  intended  for  the  sleeping  apartment  of  the  master 
and  mistress  of  the  house. 


1Y2 


COUNTRY    HOUSES. 


[Fig.  78.    Second  Floor.] 

Gdnstruction.  The  superior  character  given  in  this  design 
is  largely  due  to  the  solid  and  substantial  expression  of  the 
stone  walls,  shown  in  Fig.  76.  The  bold  and  simple  details 
shown  in  the  dooi-s,  windows,  etc.,  harmonize  well  with  the 
subject,  and  with  the  materials  of  the  dwelling. 

The  first  story  of  this  house  is  12  feet  high,  and  the  second 
story  10^  feet. 

The  roof  projects  2\  feet  at  the  eaves.  The  wood-house, 
dairy,  etc.,  are  contained  in  a  one-story  wing  in  the  rear,  built 
in  a  corresponding  manner,  with  projecting  eaves. 

The  porch  and  veranda  are  built  of  wood,  painted  in  stone 
color. 

Variation.  The  exterior  of  this  design  might  perhaps  be 
improved,  by  omitting  the  two  small  gables  in  the  front,  and 
increasing  the  size  of  the  middle  gable  sufficiently  to  allow  of  a 
small  attic  window.  Tliis  would  give  more  simplicity  and  less 
picturesqueness.  If  the  building  were  to  be  erected  in  a  bai-e 
site,   the   omission   of   the    two  gables    would   be    a    decided 


DESIGNS  FOE  FAKM-HOUSES.  173 

improvement ;  but  it'  in  a  well-wooded  site,  where  the  pictur- 
esque irregularity  of  the  roof  line  would  be  partly  concealed 
and  aided  by  the  intricacy  of  foliage,  and  the  lights  and 
shadows  afforded  by  it,  then  the  effect  of  the  design  would  be 
much  better  as  it  is  at  present. 

Estimate.  The  cost  of  this  house  would  vary  from  $4000  to 
$5000,  supposing  it  to  be  finished  in  a  substantial,  though 
rather  plain,  manner.  If  built  by  a  farmer  who  could  furnish 
the  stone  and  deliver  them  at  the  site,  performing  all  the 
necessary  carriage  of  other  materials  with  his  own  horses,  the 
necessary  outlay  would  not  exceed  the  former  sum. 


174  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


SECTION  vn. 

MISCELLANEOUS  DETAILS. 

CoNSTKUcnoN  OF  Chimneys  and  Fireplaces.  Of  all  tlie 
minor  evils  which  flesh  is  heir  to,  there  are  few  which  so 
certainly  bring  tears  into  every  one's  eyes  as  smoky  chimneys. 
A  man  of  nerve  may  steel  his  breast  against  a  great  misfortune, 
he  may  make  no  outward  signs  at  the  recital  of  griefe  which 
would  rouse  a  stoic ;  but  take  him  into  a  room  where  the 
chimney  does  not  draw  well,  and  though  he  may  be,  like 
Othello, 

"  Unused  to  the  melting  mood," 

he  will  find  himself  exhibiting  all  its  outward  signs,  while  his 
heai't,  strange  to  say,  is  growing  harder  every  moment. 

That  both  country  and  toMTi  houses  are  more  or  less 
afflicted  with  this  nuisance,  is  abundantly  proved  by  tlie 
chimney-pots,  ventilators,  tall  boys,  and  all  other  unsightly 
contrivances — odious  in  the  eyes  of  architects — which  deform 
the  tops  of  so  many  chimneys  everywhere ;  and  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  the  multiplication  of  stoves  in  parlore  and  sitting- 
rooms,  of  late  years,  is  also  owing,  in  no  small  degree,  to  the 
apparently  unavoidable  evil  of  smoky  chimneys. 

Granting,  tlicn,  that  smoky  chimneys  abound,  and  that  they 
are  a  great  evil,  is  there  any  certain  remedy  ? 


MISCELLANEOUS  DETAILS.  175 

We  answer  to  this,  yes.  The  difficulty  arises,  in  abnost 
every  instance,  solely  from  want  of  knowledge  of  the  first 
principles  of  construction,  in  the  bricklayer  who  builds  the 
chimney.  We  have  conversed  with  dozens  of  mechanics,  and 
have  found  but  two  who  laiew  any  thing  of  principles  in  the 
matter,  or  whose  practical  knowledge  did  not  actually  lead 
them  to  build  chimneys  that  must  inevitably  smoke,  in  every 
situation  erposed  to  downward  currents  of  air. 

We  shall  offer,  therefore,  a  few  remarks,  as  plain  as  we 
can  make  them,  in  the  hope  that  every  builder,  into  whose 
hands  this  work  may  fall,  will  directly  make  himself  master 
of  them,  so  that  the  practical  art  of  building  chimneys  that 
will  draw  well,  shall  be  everywhere  known  among  brick- 
layei's. 

In  the  first  place,  then,  the  reason  why  chimneys  draw  at  all 
is  owing  to  the  natm-al  tendency  of  heated  air  to  rise ;  smoke 
being  much  lighter  than  common  aii'.  Hence,  the  wanner  the 
flue,  and  the  smoke  which  it  contains,  the  better  the  draught. 
For  this  reason,  a  fire,  lighted  in  a  cold  chimney,  does  not  draw 
so  well  as  after  the  chimney  is  heated,  and  a  chimney  in  an 
interior  wall  of  a  house  is  more  likely  to  draw  well  than  one 
built  in  the  exterior  wall — the  cold  of  the  open  air  robbing  the 
chimney  of  part  of  its  heat. 

The  great  cause  of  smoky  chimneys,  however,  is  their 
imperfect  construction  at  the  throat  and  the  top.  K  a  flue, 
as  is  most  commonly  the  case,  is  built  of  uniform  size,  fi-om 
the  throat  where  the  smoke  enters,  to  the  top  where  it  escapes, 
it  is  evident  that  there  is  a  column  of  heated  air  in  the  flue  of 
uniform  size  from  top  to  bottom.  Whatever  offers  resistance 
to  this  column  at  the  top  acts  equally  upon  the  whole,  because 


176  CX>UNTRY   HOUSES. 

the  size  of  the  column  of  smoke  at  the  top  is  precisely  that  at 
the  bottom. 

Now,  the  resistance  is  that  of  a  current  of  wind  upon  the  top 
of  the  chimney.  Every  tune  this  current  of  wind  strikes,  in  a 
direction  more  or  less  downward,  upon  the  top  of  the  chimney, 
a  quantity  of  smoke  is  driven  out  of  the  throat  below. 

Let  us  now  suppose  that,  with  a  flue  of  the  same  diameter, 
both  the  top  and  the  throat  are  contracted.  The  effect  of  this, 
in  the  first  place,  is  to  break  the  force  of  the  adverse  current 
of  wind ;  and  in  the  second  place,  to  divide  the  shock  between 
the  size  of  the  opening  at  the  top  and  that  of  the  whole  column 
of  heated  smoke  in  the  flue.  The  effect  this  will  have  may  be 
illustrated  by  supposing  a  canal,  with  a  gate  or  opening  at  the 
end.  Baise  this  gate  across  the  whole  width  of  the  canal — 
the  water  flows  out.  Stoj)  the  gate  suddenly,  and  we  give  a 
backward  motion  to  the  water  in  the  whoU  breadth  of  the 
canal  many  feet  distant ;  but  stop  it  by  a  gate  only  half  of  the 
width  of  the  opening,  and  we  diminish  this  shock  greatly. 
Now  make  another  nan-ow  passage  the  width  of  the  small  gate, 
fifty  feet  behind  the  gate,  and  we  will  find  that  the  shock  of 
shutting  the  gate  dwides  itself  in  a  great  degree  among  the 
particles  of  surjjlus  water,  which  make  the  difference  between 
the  mouth  of  the  gate  and  the  width  of  the  canal  behind  it. 
Let  the  first  gate  represent  the  contraction  at  the  top  of  the 
chimney,  and  we  have  the  parallel. 

The  prmcijple^  then,  of  building  chimneys  to  draw  well,  is  to 
contract  the  openings  both  at  the  throat  and  the  top,  so  as  to 
break  the  force  with  which  the  wind  (or  even  the  aii-  itself,  in 
some  states  of  the  atmosphere)  opposes  the  ascent  of  the 
smoke. 


MISCELLANEOUS   DETAILS, 


177 


cu 


m 


,^^ 


The  jjractical  mode  of  doing  this  is  very 
simple.  In  Fig.  T9,  a  is  the  back  of  the  fire- 
place, T)  the  flue,  c  the  throat,  d  the  breast  of 
the  chimney.  The  flue  here  is  of  equal  diame- 
ter all  the  way  up.  It  is  j)lain,  therefore,  from 
what  we  have  already  said,  that  though  such  a 
chimney  may  di-aw  well  in  some  favorable 
situations,  it  must  inevitably  smoke  in  any 
[Fig.  79.  Section  of  a  exposed    Or    Unfavorable    ones — ^because     there 

fireplace  badly  con-     ,  •         i  i  r     i  t       .  /.  . 

structed.]  IS  Only  a  Simple  colmnn  of  heated  au-,  of  uni- 
form size,  all  the  way  up. 

Fig.  80  shows  a  section  of  a  chimney  as  it 
should  be  constructed,  so  far  as  regards  the  open- 
ing at  the  lower  part.  The  principal  difference 
here  is,  that  the  opening  at  the  throat  is  dimin- 
ished in  depth  (not  in  length)  to  about  one  third 
that  of  the  flue,  by  building  a  wider  back,  a^  in 
the  fireplace,  suddenly  contracting  by  this  means 
the  throat  of  the  chimney.  This  both  increases 
the  di-aught,  by  allowing  less  cold  air  to  enter 
the  throat  from  the  room,  and  prevents  the  down- 
ward action  of  currents  of  wind,  by  oj)posing  a 
direct  check  in  the  abrupt  shoulder  or  offset,  *, 
of  this  improved  back  to  the  fii'eplace. 

Experience  has  proved  that  two  points  must 
receive  strict  attention  to  insure  success.  The 
first  is,  that  the  top  of  the  shoulder,  i^  should  rise 
at  least  6  inches  above  the  line  of  the  bottom  of 
the  breast,  Ti  /  the  second  is,  that  it  should  end 
abniptly,  as  shown  in  Fig.  80.  In  cases  where  the 
12 


[Fig.  80.    Form  lor  a 
good  draught.] 


I^j^ 


[Fig.  81.     Defective 
shoulder.] 


178  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

masons  have  filled  up  the  angle  with  mortar,  as  in  i,  Fig.  81,  the 
chimney  was  caused  to  smoke — the  slope  modifying  the  check 
which  the  wind  receives  in  its  downwai-d  movement,  and 
throwing  the  smoke  out  into  the  room. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  under  side  of  the  mantel,  h,  or  breast, 
should  always  be  gently  rounded,  as  in  Fig.  80,  h,  and  not  left 
square,  as  in  Fig.  79,  c, — the  former  promoting  a  good  draught, 
by  causing  the  cmTent  of  cold  air  which  enters  from  the  room 
to  mix  (/radually  with  the  cm-rent  of  smoke,  so  as  not  to  check 
it  and  force  it  out  into  the  room. 

Tliis  rounded  form  may  be  given,  when  a  stone  lintel  is  used 
for  the  soffit,  by  cutting  the  imier  angle  of  the  stone.  If  bricks 
are  used  they  may  be  cut  on  the  edge,  and  the  curve  filled  out 
with  plaster.  A  better  mode,  however,  when  the  soffit  is  built 
of  brick,  is  to  have  a  broad  cast-iron  bar,  with  a  rounded  inner 
slope,  so  as  to  give  the  form  of  the  mantel. 

As  the  amount  of  heat  radiated  into  the  room  is  greatly  in- 
creased by  having  the  back  of  the  fireplace  a  slope  forward,  as 
in  Fig.  80,  no  intelligent  bricklayer  will  make  it  straight,  as  in 
Fig.  70. 

For  all  chimneys  of  moderate  size  it  has  been  found  that  4 
inches  in  depth  (from  the  inner  face  of  h  to  a)  is  the  best  size 
fur  the  throat  of  the  chimney;  and,  as  a  general  rule,  the 
supci-ficial  area  of  the  throat  of  the  chimney  should  not  be 
greater  than  that  of  the  body  of  the  flue  above  it.  Thus,  if  the 
flue  is  12  by  12  (superficial  area  1-14  in.),  then  the  throat  should 
not  be  greater  than  4  by  o<!,  which  gives  the  same  area  (144 
inches).  Tlie  throat  can  occasionally  be  made  wider,  in 
cleaning  the  chimney,  by  having  a  movable  piece  of  soap- 
stone  or  fire-brick,  n^  at  the  top  of  the  back. 


ISnSCETJ.AI^OUS   DETAILS.  '  179 

Having  contracted  the  flue  at  the  throat,  let  us  now  go  to  the 
top  of  the  chimney. 

The  rule,  in  very  windy  or  exposed  situations,  is  to  contract 
the  chimney  to  a  thii'd  less  than  the  area  of  the  flue.  Thus,  if 
the  flue  is  12  by  14  inches  at  the  bottom  (12  by  14  =  168  in.), 
it  should  be  narrowed  to  the  size  of  10  by  11  inches 
(10  X  11  =  110  in.)  at  the  top. 

We  have  found,  however,  that  in  ordinary  situations  it  is 
sufiicient  to  contract  a  chimney  at  the  top,  so  as  to  make  the 
opening  about  two  inches  less  in  diameter  than  the  flue  below. 
And  in  situations  where  there  is  no  likelihood  of  downward 
currents  of  air,  the  contraction  at  the  throat  alone  proves 
sufficient. 

A  very  simple  and  easy  mode  of  contracting  the  top  of  an 
ordinary  brick  chimney,  by  drawing  in  the  courses,  is  shown  in 
Fig.  13,  Design  III.,  and  another,  still  better  calculated  for  a 
very  smoky  site,  in  the  Farm-house,  Design  XIY. 

"WTien  separate  ornamental  chimney-tops  are  used,  the  flue 
may  be  drawn  in  at  its  juuction  with  the  chimney-top. 

Where  wood  is  abundant,  and  large  fireplaces  are  used,  as  is 
still  the  case  in  many  parts  of  this  country,  large  flues  are 
required,  from  12  inches  to  24inches  square.  In  this  case,  the 
throat  should  be  nan-owed  in  the  same  proportion,  but  the 
back  of  the  chimney  should  retii'e  more  at  the  base.  But  no 
ordinary  flue  for  a  coal  fii'e  need  be  over  9  by  11  inches,  and 
the  throat  not  more  than  4  by  14  inches.  For  anthracite  grates 
the  flues  in  any  country  house  need  not  exceed  8  by  12  inches.* 

*  For  many  excellent  details  on  this  subject  see  Bernaii's  History  of  Warming 
and  Ventilating.     To  Count  Rumford,  ■who  devoted  bis  life  to  the  improvement  of 


180  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

An  admirable  mode  of  building  flues,  which  we  have 
practised  with  entire  satisfaction  in  our  own  residence,  is  that 
of  giving  them  a  circular  form.  This  is  done  more  rapidly  and 
cheaply  than  in  the  common  way,  by  using  a  cylinder  of  tin, 
easily  made  for  the  purpose  by  any  tin-smith,  like  that  shown 
in  Fig,  82.  It  is  closed  at  the  top  and  bottom,  and 
has  at  the  top  a  stout  handle,  by  which  the  brick- 
layer holds  it.  This  cylinder  is  placed  in  the  flue 
(which  is  first  carried  up  about  three  feet  above  the 
opening  of  the  fireplace,  in  the  manner  just  pointed 
ri-'i'  82  out);  the  mason  then  Iniilds  his  chimney  round  it, 
^  Flues.]  °^  always  putting  jjlaster,  and  not  brick,  next  the  cylinder. 
Every  second  or  third  course,  he  turns  the  cylinder  round  and 
raises  it  up  a  little  ;  he  then  builds  two  or  three  courses  more, 
and  turns  and  raises  it  again,  till  he  reaches  the  top  of  the 
chimney.  In  this  way  the  inside  of  the  flue  is  left  perfectly 
smooth  and  even,  from  top  to  bottom.  Tlie  bricklayer  should 
have  several  of  these  cylindei^s,  so  as  to  cany  up  a  stack  with 
three  or  four  flues  (having  one  cylinder  in  each)  without 
entirely  removing  the  cylindei"s  until  the  W'hole  is  completed. 

We  find  that  a  circular  flue,  eight  inches  in  diameter,  i» 
sufficiently  large  far  anthracite  grates,  or  for  stove  flues.  Ten- 
inch  cylindera  give  flues  large  enough  for  any  cottage  or  villa 
when  coal  is  the  fuel  used. 

Ornamenting  the  Roof.  Country  houses,  in  a  northern 
climate,  are  mostly  built  with  steep  roofs,  and  it  is  often 
desirable  to  break  up  the  plainness  of  this  roof,  either  to  take 

♦ho  domestic  comforts  of  man,  tin-  world  owes  by  far  the  largest  part  of  all  its 
s<;itMitific  knowledge  on  tho  subject  of  chimneys. 


MI8CELLAIIE0US   DETAILS. 


181 


away  from   its   common-place  appearance,  or  to  bring  it  into 
keeping  with  the  rest  of  the  building. 

Nine-tenths  of  all  our  country  houses,  as  yet,  are  covered 
with  shingles,  and  a  very  easy  and  efficient  mode  of  giving  a 
good  effect  to  such  roofs  is  that  of  cutting  the  shingles  in 
certain  patterns  before  laying  them.  When  this  is  to  be  done, 
shingles  of  good  quality  and  of  uniform  width  and  thickness 
should  be  chosen. 


[Fig.  83.    Patterns  for  Shingles.] 

Fig.  83  shows  various  patterns  of  shingle  work  as  they 
appear  when  overlaying  the  roof.  One  of  the  simplest  forms,  A, 
is  made  by  cutting  the  lower  end  of  the  shingles  to  a  point,  so 
as  to  form  a  diamond  pattern  when  the  roof  is  covered  with 
them.     In  B,  the  end  of  each  shingle  is  rounded ;    in  C,  the 


182  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

sliingles  are  cut  somewhat  as  in  A,  but  laid  differently,  so  as  to 
tbrni  an  octagon  pattern. 

A  very  pleasing  effect  is  produced,  at  little  extra  cost,  by 
introducing  thi'ce  or  fom*  courses  of  these  ornamental  shingles 
between  several  courses  of  plain  shingles — an  example  of 
which  is  shown  in  Design  VI.  A  very  little  additional  labor 
in  this  way  bestows  an  air  of  taste  on  a  common  roof. 

An  exceedingly  pretty  effect  in  wooden  cottages  is  produced 
by  using  these  ornamental  shingles  for  an  outside  covering, 
instead  of  boards,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Swiss  cottage.  Design 
XI.  A  shingled  cottage,  properly  built,  is  warmer  than  one 
weather-boarded  in  the  common  way,  and  is  at  least  fully  as 
dm'able. 

In  country  houses  of  the  first  class,  where  slates  are  used  for 
roofing,  they  may  be  cut  in  the  same  patterns  as  shingles.  Tiles 
of  these  and  various  other  fancy  patterns  are  largely  used  in 
England,  being  afforded  there  at  a  cost  not  exceeding  shingles  ; 
and  as  they  form  the  most  ornamental  and  useful  of  all  roofs, 
we  trust  some  of  our  enterprising  manufacturers  will  import 
one  of  the  patent  tile  machines,  and  undertake  their  manu- 
facture in  this  country. 

MoKTAK  Floors.  A  solid  and  impenetrable  fioor  in  ccUai-s 
and  basement  apartments  is  very  desirable  in  many  localities. 
In  such  places  mortar  flooi"s  are  not  only  the  most  durable, 
— in  some  situations  wooden  floors  rotting  away  in  half  a  dozen 
yeai-s — but,  if  well  laid,  they  entirely  prevent  the  entrance  of 
rats  into  the  basement  story,  except  through  the  doors  and 
windows. 

T(»  make  a  good  mortar  floor,  it  is  advisable,  when  the 
bottom  is  not  itself  a  rock,  to  fill  it  six  inches  deep  with  small 


MISCELLANEOUS   DETAILS.  183 

stones,  closely  and  evenly  laid.  Over  these  put  a  layer,  two 
inches  thick,  of  mortar  composed  of  gravel  and  newly  slaked 
lime.  The  mortar  should  be  tempered  rather  thinly,  so  as  to 
partially  settle  among  the  loose  stones,  and  bind  them  all 
together.  When  this  coat  has  become  firm,  plaster  it  over 
with  a  coat  of  mortar  composed  of  one  part  fresh  lime  to  two 
parts  sand.  This  coat  should  be  made  as  level  and  smooth  as 
possible,  and,  if  an  agreeable  color  is  desired,  the  surface  should 
be  colored  with  the  whitewash  brush,  as  soon  as  it  is  made 
smooth,  and  before  the  mortar  is  set.  TTie  tint  will  then 
last  nearly  as  long  as  the  floor.  For  a  cream  color  add  a 
little  yellow  ochre  to  the  whitewash;  for  a  fawn  color,  or 
pale  di'ab,  use  umber,  with  the  addition  of  a  little  Indian  red 
and  black. 

When  the  basement  story  is  in  a  damp  soil,  proper  drainage 
should  be  made  before  the  mortar  floor  is  laid  down.  Hy- 
draulic lime  or  cement,  as  it  is  generally  called,  when  mixed 
with  two  parts  sand,  always  makes  a  harder  and  better  floor 
than  lime  itself,  and  should  therefore  be  used  in  preference 
when  it  can  be  readily  obtained. 

To  Stals^  msmE  Wood-work  ok  Waikscot.  Instead  of  paint- 
ing and  graining  wood  to  imitate  oak,  black  walnut,  or  other  dark 
woods  used  in  the  wainscoting  or  joinery  of  countiy  houses,  a 
very  simple  and  excellent  substitute,  for  cheap  cottages  and 
villas,  is  that  of  so  staining  the  wood  as  to  give  the  color  of  a 
darker  wood,  and  yet  retain  all  the  real  appearance  of  the  grain 
of  the  wood  itself.  Pine,  treated  in  this  way,  when  the  wood 
is  clear  and  of  good  quality,  is  so  strikingly  like  the  plainer 
portions  of  oak  or  black  walnut,  as  to  produce  the  same  general 
efiect  at  fii'st   sight,   while   a   closer   examination   shows   only 


184  COUNTKY    HOUSES. 

the  real  i:;rain  and  texture — unlike  a  painted  and  grained 
Biirf'ace,  which  is  only  an  imitation.  Tliis  mode  of  staining  is, 
in  fact,  only  toning  down,  or  giving  the  effect  of  time  to  the 
actual  grain  of  the  wood,  and  is  therefore  a  more  truthful  mode 
than  painting  it. 

There  are  various  modes  of  staining  pine  or  other  plain 
woods  so  as  to  resemble  oak  or  black  walnut:  the  following  is 
one  of  the  simplest  and  best. 

First,  prepare  the  wood  by  washing  it  with  a  solution  of 
8ulphm-ic  acid,  made  by  mixing  it  in  the  proportion  of  one 
ounce  of  sulphmic  acid  to  a  pint  of  warm  water.  It  should  be 
mixed  when  M'anted,  and  put  on  while  warm,  washing  it  evenly 
over  every  part  to  be  stained. 

Second,  stain  the  wood  so  prepared  by  rubbing  it  lightly 
with  tobacco  stain,  using  a  piece  of  flannel  or  sponge  for  this 
pur})ose.  By  merely  coating  it,  evenly,  in  this  way,  the  natural 
grain  of  the  wood  will  assume  a  dark  tone,  so  as  to  resemble 
black  walnut  or  oak  ;  the  effect  of  certain  parts  may  be  height- 
ened by  a  little  skill  in  mottling  or  slightly  graining  the  wood,  by 
repeating  the  coat,  and  allowing  it  to  settle  in  places. 

When  the  stained  wood  is  entirely  dry,  bnish  it  over,  in 
order  to  preserve  it,  with  the  following  mixture :  i  lb.  beeswax, 
J  ])int  linseed  oil,  and  1  pint  b(~)iled  linseed  oil. 

It  may,  if  desired,  afterwards  be  varnished  and  polished.  To 
make  the  above  tobacco  stain,  take  6  lbs.  of  common  shag  or 
"negro  head"  tobacco;  boil  it  in  as  many  quarts  of  water  as 
will  cover  the  tobacco,  letting  it  simmer  away  slowly  till  it  is 
of  the  consistence  of  syrup.     Strain  it,  and  it  is  ready  for  use. 

We  may  add,  that  wlien  it  is  desired  to  give  the  wood  the 
tone  of  light  oak  or  maple,  the  solution  of  sulphuric  acid  should 


MISCELLANEOUS   DETAILS.  185 

be  mucti  weaker,  and  only  a  light  coat  of  the  stain  should  be 
used.  Where  a  dark  tone  is  preferred,  two  coats  of  the  stain 
should  be  put  on. 

Of  coiu'se,  the  beauty  of  the  wood,  so  stained,  depends  on  its 
smoothness  and  the  variety  of  its  natural  grain.  Good  "  clear 
pine  stuff,"  when  stained  in  this  way,  and  varnished,  has 
an  effect  inferior  only  to  real  oak  or  black  walnut.  "When 
sappy  and  knotty  wood  is  used,  though  it  will  all  take  a 
rich  dark  tone,  the  defects  in  the  wood  will  not  be  hidden  by 
the  staining  as  when  covered  with  several  coats  of  paint. 

There  is  something  warm  and  comfortable  in  the  aspect  of  a 
room  stained  in  this  way,  and  when  there  is  any  scantiness  of 
furniture  it  helps  to  give  the  apartment  a  furnished  appear- 
ance. 

In  short,  its  advantages  are,  that  the  wood-work  or  wain- 
scot of  a  cottage,  ready  for  the  painter,  may  be  stained  and 
varnished  throughout  in  two  or  three  days  by  almost  any 
one,  while  2:)ainting  it  would  require  a  fortnight ;  that  it  has 
immediately  that  mellow  effect  of  old  dark  wood,,  so  harmonious 
in  some  kinds  of  architecture ;  and  that  from  its  dark  color  and 
varnished  surface  it  is  far  more  easily  kept  clean  than  wainscot 
painted  white  or  apy  other  oil  color. 

For  the  wood-work  of  bed-rooms  this  is  especially  adapted, 
being  a  very  cheap  and  excellent  substitute  for  paint.  Seedr 
lac  dissolved  in  alcohol  (at  the  rate  of  1  pound  to  1  quart)  is  a 
most  excellent  cheap  varnish  for  covering  the  surface  of  the 
stained  wood.  This  is  also  especially  adapted  for  varnishing 
outside  work,  like  the  open  porch  of  the  Farm-house,  Design 
XIV.,  made  of  hewn  oak. 

Staining  ouxsroE  AVood-work.     "We  are  indebted,   for  the 


V/'^ 


18G  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


following  recipe  for  staining  outside  wood-work  and  the  coarser 
portions  of  internal  work,  to  Gcrvase  Wheeler,  Esq.,  an  English 
architect  of  experience,  who  has  recently  settled  in  this  coirn- 
try. 

"  Take  best  rosin  tar,  or  pitch,  in  the  proportion  of  1  gallon 
to  every  4  gallons  of  the  following  : 

"Turpentine,  1 1  gallon,  seed-lac  dissolved  in  alcohol  (in  the 
proportion  of  1  lb.  to  1  quart),  2  quarts ;  cold  linseed  oil,  i 
gallon  ;  boiled  oil,  i  gallon  ;  beeswax,  6  lbs. ;  ox-gall,  1  lb. 

"  Mix  all  these  together,  and  add  the  rosin  tar  first  named. 
Lay  it  on  with  a  large  flat  brush. 

"  This  is  a  very  beautiful  and  richly  colored  stain,  and  I  have 
seen  it  frequently  used  in  the  timber-work  of  the  simple  country 
churches  in  England.  Some  persons  use  a  larger  proportion  of 
the  tar,  and  for  work  much  exposed  to  the  weather  it  would, 
perhaps,  be  better  to  do  so." 

Cheap  Wash  for  Cottages  of  "Wood.  For  the  outside  of 
wooden  cottages,  barns,  outbuildings,  fences,  etc.,  where  econ- 
omy is  important,  the  following  wash  is  recommended  : 

Take  a  clean  barrel  that  will  hold  water.  Put  in  it  half  a 
bushel  of  fresh  quicklime,  and  slake  it  by  pom-ing  over  it 
boiling  water  sufficient  to  cover  it  4  or  5  inches  deep,  and 
stiiTJng  it  till  slaked. 

When  quite  shdced,  dissolve  in  water,  and  add  2  lbs.  of 
sulphate  of  zinc  (white  vitriol),  which  may  be  had  of  any  of  the 
druggists,  and  which,  in  a  few  weeks,  will  cause  the  white- 
wash to  harden  on  the  wood-work.  Add  sufficient  water  to 
bring  it  to  the  consistence  of  thick  whitewash.  This  wasli  is 
of  com'se  white,  and  as  white  is  a  color  which  we  think  should 
never  be  used  except  upon  buildings  a  good  deal  suiTounded  by 


MISCELLANEOUS   DETAILS.  187 

trees,  so  as  to  prevent  its  glare,  we  would  make  it  a  fawn  or 
drab  color  before  using  it. 

To  make  the  above  wasli  a  pleasing  cream  color,  add  4  lbs. 
yellow  oebre. 

For  a  fawn  color,  take  4  lbs.  umber,  1  lb.  Indian  red, 
and  I  lb.  lampblack.* 

To  make  the  wash  gray  or  stone  color,  add  1  lb.  raw 
umber  and  2  lbs.  lampblack. 

The  color  may  be  put  on  with  a  common  white-wash  brush, 
and  will  be  found  much  more  dm'able  than  common  white- 
wash, as  the  sulphate  of  zinc  sets  or  hardens  the  wash. 

Cheap  wash  foe  cottages  of  brick,  stone,  stucco,  or 
ROUGH-CAST.  Take  a  barrel,  and  slake  half  a  bushel  of  fresh  lime 
as  before  mentioned  ;  then  fill  the  barrel  two-thii-ds  full  of  water 
and  add  1  bushel  of  hydi-aulic  cement  or  water  lime.  Dissolve 
in  water  and  add  3  lbs.  sulphate  of  zinc.  The  whole  should  be 
of  the  thickness  of  paint,  ready  for  use  with  the  brash.  This 
wash  is  improved  by  the  addition  of  a  peck  of  white  sand  stirred 
in  just  before  using  it.  The  color  is  a  pale  stone-color,  nearly 
white. 

To  make  it  fawn  color,  add  1  lb.  yellow  ochi-e,  2  lbs.  raw 
umber,  2  lbs.  Indian  red. 

To  make  it  a  drab,  add  1  lb.  Indian  red,  1  lb.  umber,  1  lb. 
lampblack. 

This  wash,  which  we  have  tested  thoroughly,  sets  and  adheres 
very  fij*mly  to  brick-work  or  stucco,  is  very  durable,  and 
produces  a  very  agreeable  effect. 

*  Lampblack,  •when  mixed  with  water  colors,  should  first  be  thoroughly  dissolved 
in  alcohol.  Yellow  ochre,  Indian  red,  etc.,  are  sold,  in  dry  powders,  at  a  few  cents 
per  lb. 


188  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

CirEAP  Cottage  Paint.  The  following  is  a  very  cheap  and 
excellent  paint  for  cottages,  forming  a  hard  surface,  and  is 
far  more  durable  than  paint;  as  its  hardness  increases  by 
time,  it  will  be  found  preferable  to  common  paint  for  pictu- 
resque country  edifices  of  all  kinds. 

Take  freshly  burned  unslaked  lime  and  reduce  it  to  powder. 
To  one  peck  or  one  bushel  of  this  add  the  same  quantity  of 
fine  white  sand  or  fine  coal-ashes,  and  twice  as  much  fresh 
wood-ashes,  all  these  being  sifted  through  a  fine  sieve.  They 
should  then  be  thoroughly  mixed  together,  while  dry.  After- 
wards mix  them  with  as  much  common  linseed  oil  as  will  make 
the  whole  thin  enough  to  work  freely  with  a  painter's  brush. 

Til  is  ■will  make  a  paint  of  a  light-gray  stone-color,  nearly 
white. 

To  make  it  fauTi  or  drab,  add  yellow  ochre  and  Indian 
red ;  if  drab  is  desired,  add  bm-nt  umber,  Indian  red,  and  a  little 
black;  if  dark  stone-color,  add  lampblack;  or  if  brown  stone, 
then  add  Spanish  brown.  All  these  colors  should  of  couree  be 
first  mixed  in  oil  and  then  added. 

This  paint  is  very  much  cheaper  thuu  comm<jii  uil  paint. 
It  is  equally  well  suited  to  wood,  brick,  or  stone.  It  is  better 
to  apply  it  in  two  coats  ;  the  first  thin,  the  second  thick. 

Durable  Oil  Paint.  Mr.  Wlieeler  uses  the  following  paint, 
which  he  recommends  strongly  to  us  for  outside  work. 

"Take  50  lbs.  best  white-lead,  ten  quarts  linseed  oil,  ^  lb. 
Dryers';  50  lbs.  finely  sifted  sharp,  clean  sand,  2  lbs.  raw 
umber.  Thoroughly  mix  and  dilute  the  whole  with  the  oil, 
adding  a  very  little  (say  half  a  pint)  of  turpentine.  Lay  it  on 
with  a  large  brush.  I  use  a  wire  bnish,  which  does  not  cut 
through  with  the  sand. 


MISCELLANEOUS   DETAILS. 


189 


"  Two  coats  should  be  used  ;  the  second  coat  thinner  than  the 
first.  I  can,  jfrom  experience,  recommend  this  paint  as  standing 
from  15  to  20  years." 

Cement  for  stopping  joints.  A  cement  that  hardens  in 
a  short  time,  and  more  effectually  resists  the  weather  than  any 
other,  is  made  by  mixing  fine  white  sand  with  white  paint 
(white-lead  ground  in  oil,  and  made  rather  thicker  than  for 
common  use).  Sufficient  sand  should  be  used  to  make  a  stiff 
paste  that  will  not  run. 

K  there  are,  from  faulty  construction,  any  joints  about  chim- 
ney-tops, places  in  the  roof,  or  elsewhere,  which  are  not  easily 
made  weather-proof,  they  may  be  made  perfectly  tight  by  filling 
and  covering  them  with  this  cement.  It  grows  harder  by  exposm-e 
to  the  weather,  and  resists  alike  the  action  of  wet  and  cold. 

Pieces  of  stone  that  have  been  broken  may  be  united  with 
this  cement  so  as  to  become  as  sti'ong  as  at  fii-st.  If  the  stone 
is  of  dark  sandstone,  red-lead  may  be  substituted  for  white- 
lead,  or  white-lead  may  be  brought  to  the  color  of  the  stone,  by 
adding  the  necessary  oil  colors  before  mixing  the  sand. 

GuTTEES  AT  THE  EAVES.  For  all  chcap 
cottages,  barns,  and  outbuildings  with 
projecting  roofs,  much  the  simplest  and 
best  gutter  is  formed  by  introducing  a 
piece  of  copper,  tin,  or  galvanized  iron, 
«,  Fig.  84,  in  the  roof,  directly  over  the 
perpendicular  line  of  the  outer  wall,  and 
turning  up  this  piece  of  metal  against  a 
strip  of  board  nailed  at  a  right  angle  to 
the  roof,  h.  This  board  should  be  laid 
[Fig  84.    Raised  Metal  Gutter.]  with  One  end  a  little  lowcr   ou   the  roof 


190 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


than  the  other,  bo  as  to  aft'ord  a  sufficient  descent  in  its  length 
to  cany  oft'  the  water  freely.  It  is  not  only  the  simplest  and 
cheapest  mode  of  forming  a  gutter,  but  it  also  pennits  the  leader 
water-pipe,  c,  to  be  carried  do\m  in  a  straight  line,  without 
any  of  those  awlcward  joints  and  angles  which  putting  the 
gutter  at  the  outer  edge  of  the  caves  renders  necessary.  This 
kind  of  gutter  is  well  suited  to  all  roofs  where  the  .aflers  and 
sheathing  of  the  roof  are  shown,  as  in  Designs  I.,  II.,  etc.  If 
tin  is  used  for  gutters  of  this  kind,  it  should  always  have  a 
couple  of  coats  of  red-lead  (the  best  weather-proof  color)  as 
soon  as  finished. 

A  neater  and  more  complete  mode,  in  well-built  cottages,  is 
that  of  cutting  the  gutter  out  of  the 
ratler  itself,  as  at  a.  Fig.  85.  The 
untK-r  side  of  the  rafter,  J,  is  sealed 
over,  and  slairt  brackets,  c,  are  inserted 
f(ir  real  and  apparent  support.  This 
is  the  kind  of  gutter  supposed  in 
Designs  VI.,  VIII.,  etc. 

Yentilating  cottages.  It  is  only  very 
[Fig.  85.  Sunken  Meuu  Guitcr.]  l^tclv  that  any  attcutiou  has  been  paid 
in  this  country  to  the  important  subject  of  ventilating  houses. 

At  the  present  moment  this  matter  is  better  undei*stood  m 
Boston,  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  Union  ;  and  indeed,  it  is 
only  in  the  neighborhood  of  that  city  that  we  notice  any 
attention  generally  paid  to  the  ventilation  of  coimtry  houses. 

The  mode  of  ventilation  adopted  there  is  a  very  simple  one, 
which  has  been  brought  into  use  by  Frederick  Emerson,  of 
Boston,  who  has  invented  a  cheap  and  efficient  apparatus  for 
this  purpose  which  is  already  extensively  adopted. 


MISCELLANEOUS   DETAILS. 


191 


[Fig.  »^0.    The   Injecting 
Ventilator.] 


Mr,  Emei-sou's  method,  in  its  complete  form,  is  calculated  to 
ventilate  perfectly  all  the  apartments,  or  any  particular  apart- 
ment in  a  house.  For  this  purpose  it  is  necessary  that  it  should 
he  connected  v^ith  a  furnace  or  ventilating 
stove,  which,  in  cold  weather,  furnishes  a  suf- 
ficient supply  of  fresh,  warm  air  to  supply 
the  place  of  that  carried  off.  In  a  house  ven- 
tilated throughout,  Mr.  Emerson  employs  two 
ventilators ;  one,  the  Injecting  Ventilator,  Fig. 
86,  which  furnishes  a  sufficient  supply  of  fresh 
cold  air  to  the  furnace,  and  the  other  the  Ejecting  Yentilator, 
Fig.  87,  which,  placed  on  the  top  of  the  house, 
allows  all  the  impure  air  to  escape. 

By  means  of  these,  a  constant  current  of 
fresh  warm  air  is  brought  to  the  house,  or  its 
principal  passages  and  apartments ;  so  that 
with  an  equal  and  agreeable  temperature,  a 
pure  and  healthy  atmosphere  is  at  all  times 
maintained. 

In  the  majority  of  cheap  cottages  and  farm-houses,  the 
principal  necessity,  as  regards  ventilation,  is  to  keep  the  upper 
story  or  the  attic  cool  in  summer ;  and  this  can  only  be  done 
by  preventing  the  accuiaulation  of  heated  air  under  the  roof. 

For  this  purpose  Emerson's  Ejecting  Yentilator^  Fig.  87,  is 
the  simplest  and  most  effective  apparatus  we  have  yet  seen.  It 
consists  of  a  tube,  usually  made  of  zinc,  galvanized  iron,  or  tin, 
open  throughout,  with  a  frustum  of  a  cone  at  the  end,  and  a 
fender,  supported  on  rods  over  the  opening,  at  the  top.  The 
fender  keeps  out  the  rain,  and,  together  with  the  cone,  acts  so 
as  to  direct  a  blast  of  wind  upon  the  structure,  so  that  in  what- 


[Fig  87.    The  Ejecting 
VentUator.] 


192 


COUNTKY   nOUSES. 


ever  direction  it  falls,  the  effect  of  causing  a  strong  upward 
draft  will  be  very  uniform  and  constant. 

This  ventilator  top  has  the  advantage  of  being  stationary,  so 
that  it  can  be  peraaanently  iixed  to  the  roof  of  a  house,  like  a 
chimney ;  and  when  the  house  is  a  large  one,  requiring  two  or 
three  ventilators,  they  can  be  brought  together  in  a  stack,  like 
ornamental  chimney-tops.* 

As  the  effect  of  these  ventilators,  when  small,  is  rather 
unarchitectural,  they  should  be  used  of  large  size,  and  painted 
of  the  same  color  as  the  chimneys. 

Where  it  is  only  desired  to  ventilate  the  garret,  over  the  full 
height  bed-rooms  of  a  two-story  cottage,  it  is  sufficient  to  place 
one  of  Emerson's  Ejecting  Ventilators  at  or  near  the  ridge  or 
highest  part  of  the  roof,  and  provide  for  the  entrance  of  a 
sufficient  supply  of  fresh  air  near  the  floor  of  the  garret.     This 


[Fig  88.    Ventilation  of  Garrets.] 

may  be  done  by  placing  the  garret  windows  near  the  floor,  or 
by  providing  small  openings  close  under  the  eaves,  a.  Fig.  88. 


*  These  ventilators  are  patented,  and  may  be  bad  in  Boston  or  New  York.  They 
are  usually  made  of  four  sizes,  viz.  14  iucbes,  18  inches,  24  or  32  inches  in  the 
diameter  of  the  tube.  For  the  roof  ventilation  of  most  cottages,  a  single  Ejector,  24 
inches  in  diameter,  ■will  be  sufficient.  They  arc;  for  sale  in  Boston  by  Chilson  and 
Duiikler,  and  in  New  York  by  Chilson,  Allen,  Walker  &  Co.,  351  Broadway. 


MISCELLANEOUS   DETAILS. 


193 


The  cool  air  enters  these  openings,  and  immediately  rises  and 
passes  out  of  the  ventilator,  5,  thus  maintaining  a  constant 
circulation  of  fresh  air  in  the  direction  shown  by  the  arrows. 

In  the  case  of  half-story  bed-rooms,  when,  as  in  all  low 
cottages,  part  of  the  height  of  the  bed-rcom  is  taken  out  of  the 
garret,  another  mode  must  be  adopted. 

To  understand  this,  let  Fig.  89  be  a  section  of  such  cottage, 


[Fig.  89.    Ventilation  of  Attic  Bed-room.] 

in  which  a  is  the  bed-room.  Instead  of  lathing  and  plastering 
the  ceiling  on  the  under  side  of  the  rafters,  a  hollow  space,  c,  of 
six  inches  or  more,  should  be  left  between  the  roof  and  the 
ceiling  of  the  cottage,  e.  By  providing  apertures  for  the 
admission  of  fresh  au'  at  y,  under  the  eaves,  and  placing  a 
ventilator,  </,  on  the  top  of  the  roof,  a  constant  circulation  will 
take  place,  so  as  to  render  the  garret  cool. 

The  builder  or  architect  must  exercise  his  ingenuity  so  to 
introduce  the  openings  for  fresh  air  as  not  to  be  seen,  or,  if 
Been,  so  as  not  to  be  unsightly. 

13 


194  COUNTRY    HOUSES. 

A  very  easy  mode  of  doing  this,  in  a  projecting  roof,  is  to 
form  apertures  in  the  ceiling  of  the  under  side  of  tlie  over- 
hanging eaves. 

Another  very  efficient  mode,  which  should  he  adopted  in  all 
houses  where  it  would  be  unsightly  to  pierce  the  attic  with 
openings  of  any  kind,  is  to  carry  down  from  the  vacuity,  c,  a 
tube  or  box,  ?',  of  the  diameter  of  the  ventilator  at  the  top. 
Space  for  this  tube  or  box  may,  in  building  the  house,  be  found 
in  closets,  or  even  between  partitions  that  lead  from  the  cellar 
to  the  garret.  The  bottom  of  this  tube  should  communicate 
with  the  open  air,  either  through  one  of  the  cellar  windows,  or 
by  an  opening  especially  made  for  it,  and  the  top  of  the  tube 
should  open  somewhere  in  the  floor  of  the  garret.  This  tube 
(which  may  be  square  or  round  or  oblong,  as  is  most  convenient) 
will  supply  the  'garret  with  fresh  air,  as  fast  as  the  hot  air 
rises  and  passes  out  of  the  ventilator. 

In  many  cases  a  narrow  window  at  each  end  of  the  garret 
will  ])Q  sufficient  to  supply  fresh  air  as  fast  as  the  ventilator 
carries  off  that  which  has  become  heated ;  but  the  great 
advantage  of  permanent  ventilating  apertures  is,  that  they  can 
remain  open  day  and  night  both  in  stormy  and  fair  weather. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  the  ventilator  top  should  be  placed 
on  the  ridge  or  highest  part  of  the  roof,  as  we  have  shown  it  in 
Fig.  89,  since  in  many  cases  this  would  detract  from  the  good 
effect  of  the  architecture.  It  may  be  i)laced  a  few  feet  down  the 
slope  of  the  roof,  on  the  rear,  or  less  visible  side  of  the  l)uilding, 
as  at  7.',  Fig.  89.  In  this  case,  however,  the  tube  will  require 
to  be  lengthened  after  a  given  proportion,  which  is  stated  in 
the  pamphlet  written  by  Mr.  Emerson,  and  sent  out  with  the 
ventilators. 


MTSCELLANEOUS  DETAILS.  195 

For  details  respecting  the  warming  and  ventilating  of  rooms, 
we  refer  our  readei-s  to  the  close  of  the  second  part  of  this 
work. 

EcoNOirr  est  pkactical  building.  We  extract  the  following 
hints  from  a  letter  received  from  a  sagacious  friend  at 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  who  is  much  interested  in  the  improvement 
of  om'  riu-al  architectm'e  —  and  wi-ites  understandingly.  It 
contains  useful  information  for  those  who  wish  to  build  well 
and  cheaply. 

" •  My  own  experience  in  building  has  been  cv.nsiderable, 

and  I  have  found  in  every  'job'  that  estimates  vary  at  least 
12  per  cent.,  while,  for  some  particular  portions  of  a  building, 
the  variation  will  be  at  least  25  per  cent.  This  arises  from 
the  fact  that,  at  the  time  the  proposal  is  made,  one  builder  may 
be  out  of  work,  and  very  anxious  to  do  something,  while 
another  has  enough  to  do,  and  therefore  puts  in  a  proposal  at 
such  a  price  as  would  compensate  him  for  extra  labor  on  his 
own  part,  and  enable  him  to  employ  additional  journeymen. 

"  Allow  me  to  make  one  suggestion,  to  be  embodied  in  your 
work.  Never  'build  in  a  hurry.  This  is  well  understood  by 
those  who  have  built  as  much  as  I  have,  but  is  overlooked  by 
beginners.  I  do  not  mention  this  with  reference  to  the 
durability  of  the  work,  altliough  that  is  one  of  the  most 
important  considerations,  but  with  reference  to  the  expense — 
for  the  latter  is  usually  the  great  thing  which  enters  into  the 
calculation  of  persons  about  to  build  in  this  countiy. 

"  I  can  illustrate  this  better  by  telling  my  own  experience — 
as  I  am  now  engaged  in  building  a  dwelling-house.  My  plans 
were  settled  last  summer.  I  then  made  application  to  a  few 
^oof?  joiners — who  had  small  shops — asking  their  lowest  terms 


196  C»TJNTRT   HOUSES. 

for  the  inside  work  and  window  frames — to  be  delivered  at  any 
time  between  this  (February)  and  tlie  1st  of  July  next.  My 
lowest  proposals  came  from  two  mechanics,  who  have  divided 
the  work,  and  who  do  it  at  such  times  as  they  have  little  else 
to  do;  and  the  prices  are  20  per  cent,  lower  than  any  good 
joiner  here  would  contract  to  perform  the  same  work  next 
summer. 

"I  get  my  brick  laid  in  an  8-inch  wall  at  $2  per  1000 — I 
furnishing  the  sand.  The  specifications  are,  that  they  shall  all 
be  laid  wet^  that  all  the  joints  shall  be  thoroughly  filled  with 
mortar,  and  the  whole  rubbed  do\vn  every  six  or  eight  courses, 
so  as  to  make  a  smooth  siu-face  for  paint.  None  of  our 
contractoi*s  would  think  of  doing  the  same  work  at  less  than 
$2.50,  and  it  would  not  be  half  as  well  done.  Yet  my  mason 
will  make  a  good  profit  upon  it.  He  is  a  first-rate  workman, 
employs  two  or  three  hands,  and  has  his  own  time — during  all 
next  sunnner — to  complete  the  work. 

"  After  you  have  matured  your  plans,  and  decided  to  build, 
keep  a  memorandum  book,  and  write  down  every  thing  as  you 
hear  it  from  those  wlu)  have  preceded  you.  Every  person  who 
has  built  a  house  can  give  you  some  new  ideas,  aiul  warn 
you  of  some  ern>r  he  lias  connnittod.  Take  foi-  example  the 
following : — 

''''Best  mode  of  jhnni^g  a  hrlclc  irall.  Sti-ips  of  sa^^^l  lath,  laid 
in  the  courses  of  l)rick  work,  luaku  much  bettor  holds  for  nails 
than  the  ordinary  firring  bricks  or  wall  strips  huilt  in  the  wall. 
The  latter  are  never  perfectly  solid  in  the  walls,  and  if  the 
wood  of  which  they  are  made  has  not  been  thoroughly  seasoned 
they  will  become  loose;  wliilo  laths  are  split  by  the  nails, 
rendering  them  more  firm,  antl  the  firring  strengthens  the  wall 


MISCELLAlfEOUS  DETAILS.  197 

very  much.  An  8-incli  wall,  when  the  bricks  are  laid  wet,  in 
thin  mortar,  to  which  firring  is  nailed  in  this  manner,  is  stronger 
than  a  foot- wall  laid  in  the  ordinary  way,  and  the  finding  nailed 
to  wooden  blocks. 

"In  the  corners  of  the  wall  the  two  upright  firring  strips 
should  be  strongly  nailed  together  before  they  are  nailed  to  the 
wall,  and,  when  a  partition  joins  a  wall,  the  studding  should  be 
nailed  very  firmly  to  the  fii'ring  strip.  This  will  prevent  any 
plaster  cracks  in  the  corners. 

"  To  prevent  rats  from,  entering  walls.  I  have  another 
suggestion,  which  I  consider  a  good  one,  and  which  has  been 
carried  into  practice  here  for  years  with  complete  success.  In 
laying  the  foundation  wall,  dig  a  trench  to  the  depth  of  six 
inches  below  the  bottom  of  the  cellar,  and  a  foot  wider  on  both 
sides  than  the  thickness  of  the  cellar  wall.  In  this  trench  lay 
the  foundation  first  com'se  of  stone,  which  will  project  from  4 
to  6  inches  on  each  side.  Be  careful  that  these  stones  are  well 
matched  together.  Have  this  course  of  solid  flags  or  foundation 
stones  covered  2  or  3  inches  with  earth  below  the  cellar  floor 
on  the  inside,  and  vermin  will  be  effectually  prevented  fi-om 
burrowing  in  the  cellar. 

I  A      "  Rats   and   other  like  animals  invariably  bmrow  close 

I     to  the  wall,  in  the   direction  BA,  and  when   they  reach 

A^  the  angle  of  the  stones  at  B,  they  always  turn  back  and 

tiy  in  some  other  place,  and  with  like  success.     They  never  go 

back  from  the  base  of  the  wall,  and  of  course  never  get  under. 

"I  may  add  another  hint — always  carry  cellar  walls  to  the 
top  of  the  first  com-se  of  beams  or  floor  joists.  This  shuts  up 
one  of  the  most  common  harbors  of  rats  and  mice  in  country 
houses,  and  prevents  them  from  working  up  through  the  floor, 


198  OOUNTKY  HOUSES. 

a«  they  have  no  resting  place  where  tliey  can  stand  and 
gnaw."— ,7.  W.  B. 

Ektekior  colok  of  country  houses.  The  color  of  the 
outside  of  a  house  in  the  coiuitry  is  of  more  importance  than  is 
usually  supposed,  since,  next  to  the  form  itself,  the  color  is  the 
first  impression  which  the  eye  receives  in  approaching  it ;  and, 
in  some  cases,  the  color  makes  its  impression,  even  before  we 
fully  comprehend  the  form  of  the  building. 

The  greater  number  of  all  country  houses  in  the  United 
States  have  been  hitherto  painted  white — partly  because  white- 
lead  is  supposed  to  be  a  better  preservative  than  other  colors 
(though  the  white  paint  generally  used  is  one  of  the  worst  in 
this  respect),  and  partly  from  its  giving  an  appearance  of 
especial  Tiewness  to  a  house,  wliich,  with  many  persons,  is  in 
itself  a  recommendation. 

No  person  of  taste,  who  gives  the  subject  the  least 
consideration,  is,  however,  guilty  of  the  mistake  of  painting  or 
coloring  country  houses  white.  And  yet  there  are  so  many 
who  have  never  given  the  subject  a  moment's  thought,  that  we 
must  urge  upon  tlu'm  a  few  arguments  against  so  great  a 
breach  of  good  taste.* 

Our  first  objection  to  lohiU  is,  that  it  is  too  glaring  and 
conspicuous.  We  scarcely  know  any  tiling  more  imcomfort- 
able  to  the  eye,  than  to  a]i})roaeli  the  sunny  side  of  a  house  in 
one  of  our  brilliant  midsuininer  days,  when  it  revels  in  the 
fashionable  ])urity  of  its  color.  It  is  absolutely  painful. 
Nature,  full  of  kindness  for  man,  has  covered  most  of  the 
sm-lacc   that  meets  his  eye  in  the   country,  with   a  soft  gi'een 


We  have  already  published  some  of  the  following  remarks  in  the  Horticulturist. 


MISCELLANEOUS  DETAILS.  199 

hue — at  once  the  most  refreshing  and  most  grateful  to  the  eye. 
Many  of  our  country  houses  appear  to  be  colored  on  the  veiy 
opposite  principle,  and  one  needs,  in  broad  sunshine,  to  turn 
his  eyes  away  from  them,  to  relieve  them  by  a  glimpse  of  the 
soft  and  refreshing  shades  that  everywhere  pervade  the  trees, 
the  grass,  and  the  surface  of  the  earth. 

Om-  second  objection  to  white  is,  that  it  does  not  harmonize 
with  the  country,  and  thereby  mars  the  eifect  of  rm-al  land- 
scapes. Much  of  the  beauty  of  landscapes  depends  on  what 
painters  call  hreadth  of  tone — which  is  caused  by  broad  masses 
of  coloi*s  that  harmonize  and  blend  agreeably  together. 
Nothing  tends  to  destroy  breadth  of  tone  so  much  as  any 
object  of  considerable  size,  and  of  a  brilliant  white.  It  stands 
harshly  apart  from  all  the  soft  shades  of  the  scene.  Hence, 
landscape  painters  always  studiously  avoid  the  introduction  of 
white  in  their  buildings,  and  give  them,  instead,  some  neutral 
tint — a  tint  which  miites  or  contrasts  agreeably  with  the  color 
of  trees  and  grass,  and  which  seems  to  blend  into  other  parts 
of  natm-al  landscape,  instead  of  being  a  discordant  note  in  the 
general  harmony. 

There  is  always,  perhaps,  something  not  quite  agreeable  in 
objects  of  a  dazzling  whiteness,  when  brought  into  contrast 
with  other  colors.  Mr.  Price,  in  his  Essays  on  the  Beautiful 
and  Picturesque,  conceived  that  very  white  teeth  gave  a  silly 
expression  to  the  comitenance — and  brings  forward  in  illustra- 
tion of  it,  the  well-known  sobriqiuet  which  Horace  Walpole 
bestowed  on  one  of  his  acquaintances — "the  gentleman  with 
the  foolish  teeth." 

No  one  is  successful  in  rural  improvements,  who  does  not 
study  nature,  and  take  her  for  the  basis  of  his  jjractice.     Now, 


200  COUNTRY    HOUSES. 

in  natui-al  landscape,  any  thing  like  strong  and  bright  colors  is 
seldom  seen,  except  in  very  minnte  portions,  and  least  of  all 
pure  white — chiefly  appearing  in  small  objects  like  flowei-s. 
Tlie  practical  ride  winch  shoidd  be  deduced  from  this  is,  to 
avoid  all  those  colors  which  natm'e  avoids.  In  buildings,  we 
should  copy  those  that  she  offers  chiefly  to  the  eye — such  as 
those  of  the  soil,  rocks,  wood,  and  the  bark  of  trees, — the 
materials  of  which  houses  are  built.  These  materials  offer  us 
the  best  and  most  natm-al  study  from  which  harmonious 
colors  for  the  houses  themselves  should  be  taken. 

"Wordsworth,  in  a  little  volume  on  the  Scenery  of  the  Lakes, 
remarks  that  the  objections  to  white  as  a  color,  in  large  spots 
or  masses,  in  landscapes,  are  insurmountable.  lie  says  it 
destroys  the  gradations  of  distances,  haunts  the  eye,  and 
disturbs  the  repose  of  nature.  To  leave  some  little  consolation 
to  the  lovers  of  white-lead,  we  will  add  tliat  there  is  one 
position  in  which  their  favorite  color  may  not  only  be 
tolerated,  but  often  has  a  happy  effect.  We  mean  in  the  case 
of  a  country  house  or  cottage,  deeply  embowered  in  trees. 
Surrounded  by  such  a  mass  of  foliage  as  Spenser  describes, 

In  whose  inclosed  shadov)  there  was  set, 
A  fair  pavilion,  scarcely  to  be  seen, 

a  white  building  often  has  a  magical  effect.  But  a  landscape 
painter  would  cpiickly  answer,  if  he  were  asked  the  reason  of 
this  exception  to  the  rule,  "it  is  because  tbc  building  does  not 
appear  white."  In  other  words,  in  the  shadow  of  the  foliage 
l)y  which  it  is  half  concealed,  it  loses  aU  the  hai-shness  and 
olFensiveness  of  a  white  house   in   an   open  site.     We  have, 


MISCELLANEOUS   DETAILS.  201 

indeed,  often  felt,  in  looking  at  examples  of  the  latter,  set  upon 
a  bald  hill,  that  the  building  itself  would,  if  possible,  cry  out, 

"  Hide  me  from  day's  garish  eye'' 

We  may  also  add,  that  while  few  objects  are  more  disagree- 
able than  hare  and  tame  villages — so  there  are,  on  the  other 
hand,  few  which  give  more  pleasur-e  to  the  eye  than  the 
contrast  of  a  few  white  cottages  surrounded  by  foliage,  and 
set  in  a  wide  landscape,  where  only  the  universal  green  of 
woods  and  meadows  is  to  be  seen. 

Having  entered  om-  protest  against  the  general  use  of  white 
in  country  edifices,  we  are  bound  to  point  out  what  we  consider 
suitable  shades  of  color. 

We  have  said  that  one  should  look  to  nature  for  hints  in 
color.  This  gives  us,  apparently,  a  wide  choice  of  shades; 
but  as  we  ought  properly  to  employ  modified  shades,  taken 
from  the  colors  of  the  materials  of  which  houses  are  con- 
stnicted,  the  number  of  objects  is  brought  within  a  moderate 
compass.  Houses  are  not  built  of  grass  or  leaves,  and  there  is, 
therefore,  not  much  propriety  in  painting  a  dwelling  green. 
Earth,  stone,  bricks,  and  wood,  are  the  substances  that  enter 
mostly  into  the  structure  of  our  houses,  and  from  these  we 
would  accordingly  take  suggestions  for  painting  them. 

Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  who  was  full  of  artistic  feeling  for 
the  union  of  a  house  with  its  surrounding  sceneiy,  once  said, 
"  If  you  would  fix  upon  the  best  color  for  your  house,  turn  up 
a  stone,  or  pluck  up  a  handful  of  grass  by  the  roots,  and  see 
what  is  the  color  of  the  soil  where  the  house  is  to  stand,  and 
let  that  be  your  choice."  This  mle  was  not  probably  intended 
to  be  exactly  carried  into  general  practice,  but  the  feeling  that 


202  COUNTRY    HOUSES. 

prompted  it  was  the  same  that  we  are  endeavoring  to  illustrate 
— tlie  necessity  of  a  unity  of  color  in  the  house  and  the 
country  about  it. 

"VVe  think,  in  the  beginning,  that  the  color  of  all  buildings 
in  the  country,  should  be  of  those  soft  and  quiet  shades  called 
neutral  tints,  such  as  fawn,  drab,  gray,  brown,  etc.,  and  that 
all  positive  colors,  such  as  white,  yellow,  red,  blue,  black,  etc., 
should  always  be  avoided ;  neutral  tints  being  those  drawn 
from  nature,  and  harmonizing  best  with  her,  and  positive  colors 
being  most  discordant  when  introduced  into  niral  scenery. 

In  the  second  place,  we  would  adapt  the  shade  of  color,  as 
far  as  possible,  to  the  expression,  style,  or  character  of  the 
house  itself.  Thus,  a  large  mansion  may  very  properly  receive 
a  somewhat  sober  hue,  expressive  of  dignity ;  while  a  country 
liouse  of  moderate  size  demands  a  lighter  and  more  pleasant, 
but  still  quiet  tone ;  and  a  small  cottage  should,  we  think, 
always  have  a  cheerful  and  lively  tint.  Country  houses,  thickly 
surrounded  by  trees,  should  always  be  painted  of  a  lighter 
shade  than  those  standing  exposed.  And  a  new  house,  entirely 
unrelieved  by  foliage,  as  it  is  rendered  conspicuous  by  the  very 
nakedness  of  its  position,  should  be  painted  several  shades 
darker  than  the  same  building,  if  placed  in  a  well-wooded  site. 
In  proportion  as  a  house  is  exposed  to  view,  let  its  hue  he 
darker^  and  where  it  is  inuch  concealed  hy  foliage^  a  very  light 
sheide  of  color  is  to  he  preferred. 

"Wordsworth  remarks,  in  speaking  of  houses  in  the  Lake 
countiy,  that  many  persons  who  have  heard  white  condemned, 
have  erred  by  adopting  a  cold  slaty  color.  The  dulness  and 
dimness  of  hue  in  some  dark  stones  produces  an  effect  quite  at 
variance  with  the    cheerfid    expression    which    small    houses 


MISCELLANEOUS   DETAILS.  203 

should  wear.  "The  flaring  yellow,"  he  adds,  "runs  into  the 
opposite  extreme,  and  is  still  more  censurable.  Upon  the 
whole,  the  safest  color,  for  general  use,  is  something  between 
a  cream  and  a  dust  color." 

This  color,  which  Wordsworth  recommends  for  general 
use,  is  the  hue  of  the  English  freestone,  called  Portland  stone 
— a  quist  fa/wn  color,  to  which  we  are  strongly  partial,  and 
which  harmonizes  perhaps  more  completely  with  all  situations 
in  the  country  than  any  other  that  can  be  named.  Next  to  this, 
we  like  a  ivarm  gray^  that  is,  a  gray  mixed  with  a  very  little 
red,  and  some  yellow.  Browns  and  dark  grays  are  suitable  for 
bams,  stables,  and  outbuildings,  which  it  is  desirable  to  render 
inconspicuous — but  for  dwellings,  unless  very  light  shades  of 
these  latter  colors  are  used,  they  are  apt  to  give  a  dull  and 
heavy  effect  in  the  country.* 

*  The  following  hints  for  mixing  shades  for  outside  painting,  may  bo  of  service 
to  persons  in  the  country  who  have  to  depend  on  their  own  wits.  The  colors  are 
supposed  to  be  first  finely  ground  in  oil,  and  then  mixed  in  small  quantities  with 
white-lead  and  boiled  linseed  oU.  A  few  trials  wiU  enable  the  novice  to  mix 
agreeable  neutral  shades — especially  if  he  wiU  be  content  to  add  a  very  little  of  the 
darker  shades  at  a  time,  and  try  the  effect  with  the  brush.  After  the  proper  shade 
is  obtained,  enough  should  be  mixed  at  once  to  go  over  the  whole  surface. 

Fawn  color.     White,  yellow  ochre,  and  Spanish  brown. 

Drab.    White,  Venetian  red,  burnt  mnber,  with  a  little  black. 

Gray  stone.     White,  lampblack,  and  a  little  Venetian  red. 

Brown  stone.    Spanish  brown,  chrome  yeUow,  with  a  little  white  and  lampblack. 

French  gray.     White,  ivory  black,  with  a  httle  Indian  red  and  Chinese  blue. 

Slate  color.     Wlute,  lampblack,  and  a  little  Indian  red. 

Sage  color.     WTiite,  raw  umber,  Prussian  blue,  and  Venetian  red. 

Straw  color.     White,  yellow  ochre,  and  orange  chrome. 

Chocolate.  Spanish  brown  and  black — or,  for  a  lighter  shade,  Venetian  red  and 
black. 


204  OOTINTRT   HOUSES 

A  ven'  slight  admixhire  of  a  darker  color  is  sufficient  to 
remove  the  objections  to  white  paint,  by  destroying  the  glare 
of  wTiite^  the  only  color  which  retiects  all  the  sun's  rays.  We 
would  advise  the  use  of  soft  shades,  not  much  removed  from 
white,  for  small  cottages,  which  should  not  be  painted  of  too 
dark  a  shade,  since  that  would  give  them  an  aspect  of  gloom^ 
rather  worse  than  glare.  It  is  the  more  necessary  to  make  this 
suggestion,  since  we  have  lately  obsen'ed  that  some  persons 
newly  awakened  to  the  bad  effects  of  white,  have  rushed  into 
the  opposite  extreme,  and  colored  their  country  houses  of 
such  a  sombre  hue,  that  they  give  a  melancholy  character  to 
the  whole  neighborhood  around  them. 

A  species  of  monotony  is  also  produced  by  using  the  same 
neutral  tint  for  every  part  of  the  exterior  of  a  country  house. 
Now  there  are  features,  such  as  window  facings,  blinds, 
cornices,  etc.,  which  confer  the  same  kind  of  expression  on  a 
house  that  the  eyes,  eyebrows,  lips,  etc.,  of  a  face,  do  upon  the 
human  coimtenance.  To  2)aint  the  whole  house  plain  drab, 
gives  it  very  much  the  same  dull  and  insipid  effect  that  color- 
less features  (white  hair,  pale  eye-brows,  lips,  etc.,  etc.)  do 
the  face.  A  certain  sprightliness  is  therefore  always  bestowed 
on  a  dwelling  in  a  neutral  tint,  by  painting  the  bolder  projecting 
features  of  a  different  shade.  The  sinijtlest  practical  rule  that 
we  can  suggest  fur  effecting  this,  in  the  most  satisfactory 
and  agi'eeable  manner,  is  the  following:  Choose  paint  of  some 
neutral  tint  that  is  quite  satisfactory,  and,  if  the  tint  is  a  llgTil 
one,  let  the  facings  of  the  windows,  cornices,  etc.,  be  painted 
several  shades  darker,  of  tlie  same  color.  Tlie  blinds  may 
either  be  a  still  darker  shade  than  the  facings,   or  else  the 


MISCELLAJSTEOUS   DETAILS.  205 

darkest  green.*  This  variety  of  shades  will  give  a  building  a 
cheerful  effect,  when,  if  but  one  of  the  shades  were  employed, 
there  would  be  a  dulness  and  heaviness  in  the  appearance  of 
its  exterior. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  tint  chosen  is  a  dark  one,  then  let 
the  window  dressings,  etc.,  be  painted  of  a  much  lighter  shade 
of  the  same  color. 

Any  one  who  will  follow  the  principles  we  have  suggested 
cannot,  at  least,  fail  to  avoid  the  gross  blunders  in  taste  which 
we  have  so  long  been  in  the  habit  of  committing  in  the  practice 
of  painting  country  houses. 

Uvedale  Price  justly  remarked,  that  many  people  have  a  sort 
of  callus  over  their  organs  of  sight,  as  others  over  those  of 
hearing;  and  as  the  callous  hearers  feel  nothing  in  music  but 
kettle-drums  and  trombones,  so  the  callous  seers  can  only  be 
moved  by  strong  opposition  of  black  and  white,  or  by  fiery- 
reds.  There  are,  we  may  add,  some  few  house  painters  who 
appear  to  be  equally  benumbed  to  any  delicate  sensations  in 
shades  of  color.  They  judge  of  the  beauty  of  colors  upon 
houses  as  they  do  in  the  raw  pigment,  and,  we  verily  believe, 
would  be  more  gratified  to  paint  every  thing  chrome  .yellow, 
indigo  blue,  pure  white,  vermillion  r»d,  and  the  like,  than  with 
the  most  fitting  and  delicate  mingling  of  shades  to  be  found 


*  Thus,  if  the  color  of  the  house  be  that  of  Portland  stone  (a  fawn  shade),  let 
the  ■window  casings,  cornices,  etc.,  be  painted  a  light  brown,  the  color  of  our 
common  red  freestone — and  make  the  latter  shade  by  mixing  the  requisite  quantity 
of  Spanish  brown  with  the  color  used  in  the  body  of  the  house.  Very  dark  green 
is  quite  unobjectionable  as  a  color  for  the  Venetian  blinds,  so  much  used  in  our 
country,  as  it  is  quite  imobtrusive.  Bright  green  is  oflfensive  to  the  eye,  and  vulgar 
and  flashy  in  effect. 


206  OOHNTET   HOUSES. 

under  the  wide  canopy  of  heaven.  Fortunately  fashion^  a 
more  powerful  teacher  of  the  multitude  than  the  press  or  the 
schools,  is  now  setting  in  the  right  direction.  A  few  men  of 
taste  and  judgment,  in  city  and  country,  have  ^t  the  example 
by  casting  oif  all  connection  with  harsh  colors.  "What  a  few 
leaders  do  at  the  first,  from  a  nice  sense  of  harmony  in  colors, 
the  many  will  do  afterwards,  when  they  see  the  superior  beauty 
of  neutral  tints  supported  and  enforced  by  the  example  of  those 
who  build  and  inhabit  the  most  atb-active  and  agreeable 
houses;  and  we  trust,  at  no  very  distant  time,  one  may  have 
the  pleasure  of  travelling  over  om*  whole  country,  without 
meeting  with  a  single  habitation  of  glaring  and  offensive  color, 
but  see  everywhere  something  of  harmony  and  beauty. 

Vines  for  the  decoration  of  cottages.  Our  readers  must 
be  well  aware  that  there  arc  two  kinds  of  expression  of  which 
architecture  in  the  country  is  capable :  one,  the  expression  of 
the  art  itself  in  various  forms  of  stone  or  wood,  and  which 
depends  wholly  upon  the  skill  of  him  who  designs  or  builds  the 
house;  the  other,  the  expression  which  the  building  derives 
from  the  aid  of  external  objects,  and  especially  fi'om  the  ti'ees, 
shrubs,  and  vines  that  immediately  surround  it. 

It  is  upon  these  latter  objects  that  the  true  mraVity  of  almost 
all  simple  cottages  depends ;  and  nine-tenths  of  all  the  cottages 
that  have  endeared  themselves,  throufjh  their  local  and  livinsr 
beauty,  to  the  hearts  of  tnie  poets  and  genuine  lovei*s  of 
nature,  have  owed  most  of  their  charms  rather  to  this  riirality 
— this  wealth  of  bower,  and  vine,  and  creeper,  than  to  any 
carved  or  sculptured  gables,  window  heads,  or  other  features 
bestowed  by  the  careful  hand  of  the  architect. 

Take  almost  any  of  tliose  exquisite  cottages  in  an  English 


MISCELLANEOUS   DETAILS.  207 

landscape,  which  charm  every  beholder  by  a  wonderful  beauty, 
found  in  no  other  land  in  the  same  perfection,  and  subject  it 
to  the  dissecting  knife  of  the  searcher  after  the  secrets  of  that 
beauty,  and  what  does  he  find?  That  not  one  of  these 
cottages  is  faultless,  in  a  strictly  architectural  sense — nay,  that 
they  abomid  with  all  sorts  of  whimsical  and  picturesque 
violations  of  architectural  rules  and  proportions,  and  are  often 
quite  destitute  of  grace  of  form  or  outline. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  they  are  so  bewitchingly  rural! 
Partly,  to  be  sure,  by  their  thatched  roofs  and  latticed  windows 
and  low  stone  walls,  all  of  which  seem  to  grow  out  of  the 
ground,  and  to  be  rather  a  production  of  nature  than  of  art 
(proving  incontestibly  how  genuine  is  the  love  of  rural  life  in 
those  who  build  and  inhabit  such  cottages),  but  mainly  through 
the  beautiful  vines  and  shrubs  that  embower  them,  which,  by 
partly  concealing  and  partly  adorning  their  walls,  give  them 
that  expressive  beauty  of  rural  and  home  feeling  which  makes 
them  so  captivating  to  every  passer-by. 

This  drapery  of  cottages — the  vines  that  climb,  or  trail,  or 
creep  over  them  and  around  their  porches  and  windows — 
deserves,  then,  something  more  than  a  passing  glance  from  all 
who  would  understand  the  secret  of  making  a  simple  country 
house  beautiful  at  little  cost.  For  it  must  be  remembered,  also, 
that  while  chiselling  ornaments  in  stone,  or  carving  them  in 
wood,  soon  makes  a  figure  in  one's  account-book,  a  few  roots 
of  those  vines  which  will  soon  grow  into  forms  of  graceful  and 
perennial  beauty,  may  be  had  for  a  trifle,  or  will  be  gladly 
given  by  some  friend  whose  garden  overflows  with  its  wealth 
of  shrubs  and  climbers. 

But,   though   all  vines   are  beautiful    in    their    appropriate 


208  OOUNTEY   HOUSES. 

places,  tlicy  are  not  nil  fitted  for  the  decoration  of  rural 
cottages.  Some  are  only  at  home  when  trailing  over  rocky 
precipices,  others  when  climbing  high  trees,  and  others,  again, 
are  so  delicate  as  to  need  the  support  of  slender  trellises  in  the 
flower-garden. 

A  vine  fitted  by  nature  for  the  drapery  of  rural  cottages 
should  unite  fine  foliage,  which  holds  its  verdure  for  a  long  time, 
and  is  not  often  the  prey  of  insects,  with  a  good  tna^sy 
habit  of  growth.  If  its  flowers  are  also  beautiful  or  fragrant, 
so  much  the  better,  but  by  no  means  should  fine  flowei-s,  which 
last  for  a  fortnight,  lead  us  to  forget  fine  habit  of  growth  and 
good  foliage,  which  are  constant  sources  of  pleasure. 

Besides  these  requisites,  we  must  add,  that  popular  vines  for 
a  cottage  must  be  such  as  are  perfectly  hardy,  and  need  no 
protection,  and  which  have  a  way,  for  the  most  part,  of  taking 
care  of  themselves — in  other  words,  which  will  grow  into 
pleasing  or  picturesque  forms  with  only  an  hour  or  two's 
pnming  and  tying  up  once  a  year. 

For  cottages,  at  the  north,  one  of  the  best  hardy  vines  is 
the  Virginia  creeper  (better  known  as  the  American  Ivy,  or 
five-leaved  Ampclopsis),  a  wild  plant,  which  grows  with 
wonderful  luxuriance,  and  attaches  itself  without  any  assistance 
to  wood  or  stone  by  the  fibres  it  throws  out  from  its  stem.  Its 
leaves,  glossy  green  in  summer,  but  turning  to  the  finest  crimson 
before  they  fall  in  autunm,  the  rapidity  of  its  growth,  and  the 
absolutely  no-carc-at-all  which  it  requires,  will  commend  it  as 
perhaps  the  best  of  all  plants,  when  the  etlect  of  foliage  is 
desired  in  as  short  a  time  as  possible,  as  well  as  for  concealing 
or  adding  to  the  beauty  of  any  gart  of  a  hla/nk  wall  of  a 
cottage. 


MISCELLANEOUS   DETAU.S.  209 

The  Chinese  "Wistaria,  now  perfectly  naturalized  in  the 
Middle  States,  is  one  of  the  finest  vines  for  the  pillars  of  the 
cottage  porch  or  veranda.  It  will  extend  its  shoots  to  40  or  50 
feet,  if  allowed,  while  it  may  be  kept  within  the  limits  of  a 
small  colxmm,  if  desired.  Its  long  pendent  clusters  of  delicate 
pearly  lilac  flowers  have  a  sti-ikingly  elegant  appearance  when 
properly  scattered  over  the  shoots  in  May,  and  its  abundant 
light  green  foliage  has  a  pleasing  effect,  whether  for  trellis, 
wall,  or  veranda. 

Climbing  roses  are  also  great  favorites  for  pillars  and  porch 
trellises.  The  most  deservedly  popular,  for  the  cottage,  are  the 
Boursault  and  the  Double  Prairie  roses — because  they  have  fine 
foliage,  grow  very  rapidly  and  luxuriantly,  blossom  profusely, 
and  are  perfectly  hardy  in  all  parts  of  the  Union.  The 
Amadis  is  the  best  variety  of  the  Boursault,  and  the  Queen 
of  Prairies  and  Baltimore  Belle  the  best  Double  Prairies  for  cot- 
tage decoration.  Amateurs  who  wish  to  add  a  still  further 
charm,  and  are  willing  to  bestow  a  little  more  care  on  them, 
may,  by  budding  the  long  shoots  with  Bourbon  roses,  have  a 
succession  of  fine  flowers  every  day  during  the  whole  growing 
season. 

In  the  Southern  States,  the  fine  Noisette  roses,  such  as  Cloth 
of  Gold  and  Solfaterre,  take  the  place  of  the  Prairie  roses  of  the 
north. 

Among  the  honeysuckles — the  "lush  woodbine"  of  the  poets 
— there  are  two  admirably  adapted  to  cottage  adornment,  viz. 
the  Japan  or  Evergreen  Honeysuckle  {Lonicera  jaijmiica^) 
and  the  Trumpet  Honeysuckle  (both  scarlet  and  straw  color). 


*  Chinese  twining  Honeysuckle  of  some. 

14 


210  COUNTRY   nOUSES. 

The  former  is  deliciously  fragrant,  and  blooms  all  summer, 
holding  its  masses  of  rich,  dark  green  foliage  till  mid-'vs'inter; 
and  the  latter,  though  not  fragrant,  grows  in  ime  masses,  and 
flowers  most  abundantly  at  all  times.  Neither  of  these  honey- 
suckles is  infested  with  the  insects  which  defonu  some  of  the 
other  species,  and  render  them  imfit  to  be  planted  near  a 
cottage  window. 

For  cottages  of  stone,  brick,  or  rough-cast,  there  is  no 
climbing  plant  in  the  whole  world  equal  to  the  Ivy — the 
evergreen  Ivj  of  Europe.  Its  dark  green  foliage  forms  at  all 
seasons  of  the  year  the  richest  drapery  that  ever  festooned  or 
wi-eathed  either  castle  or  cottage ;  and  we  need  say  nothing  of 
the  associations  without  number,  which  the  mere  sight  of  this 
plant  always  brings  to  the  mind. 

The  ivy  does  not  thrive  very  well  in  New  England,  except 
in  sheltered  places,  for  the  winters  are  rather  too  severe  for  it; 
but  in  all  other  parts  of  the  Union,  it  grows  easily  and  rapidly. 
It  likes  a  diy  and  loose  soil,  and  should,  at  the  north,  while 
young,  be  a  little  protected,  for  a  winter  or  two,  M-ith  boughs  of 
evergreens,  till  it  gets  established.  It  will  often  thrive  in  cold 
sites,  on  the  north  sides  of  houses,  or  under  the  shade  of  trees, 
when  it  fails  in  sunnier  sites,  because  it  is  the  sunshine,  in 
mid-winter,  and  not  the  frost  which  injures  it  in  the  latter 
situations.  The  Giant  Ivy  (now  quite  common  about  Phila- 
delphia) is  a  larger  leaved,  riclior  looking,  and  more  vigorous 
variety  than  the  old  species. 

In  Kcw  England,  the  American  Ivy  or  Virginia  Creeper  may 
be  used  as  a  substitute  for  the  European  Ivy;  both  bearing  a 
resemblance  only  in  attaching  themselves  firmly  (by  the  little 
rootlets  sent  out  from  their  branches)  to  the  wall,  however  hard 


MISCELLANEOUS   DETAILS.  211 

it  may   be,   and   neither   of   them   injm'ing  it.      Indeed,   the 
European  Ivy  preserves  a  stone  waU  from  decay. 

There  are  many  farmers  and  inmates  of  cottages,  who  would 
prefer  to  employ  such  vines  to  decorate  their  houses,  as  unite 
both  beauty  and  usefulness. 

There  are  two  vines  of  this  kind  which  are  scarcely  sur- 
passed by  any  others,  for  picturesque  effect,  and  which,  at 
the  same  time,  may  also  be  turned  to  profitable  account.  We 
mean  the  Grape  and  the  Hop. 

Every  painter  that  has  studied  landscape,  will  agree  with  us, 
that  no  vine  in  the  world,  take  it  altogether,  is  so  grandly 
picturesque  in  growth,  foliage,  and  fruit,  as  the  grape — and, 
certainly,  none  harmonizes  better  with  architectm'e  than  this, 
which  has  so  often  been  copied  both  in  marble  and  bronze 
by  all  manner  of  artists. 

Our  native  grapes — the  Catawba  and  Isabella,  which  gi-ow 
with  even  greater  luxm-iance  than  the  European  vines,  thrive 
well  in  all  parts  of  the  Union,  and  feast  our  senses  with  the 
delicious  odors  of  their  blossoms  in  spring,  and  the  pleasant 
flavor  of  their  frait  in  autumn, 

Veiy  few  persons  know  how  graceful  and  pretty  an  effect 
is  produced  by  the  Hop  vine,  when  hanging  over  the  wing  of 
a  cottage,  or  wreathing  some  nistic  trellis  of  the  farm-house. 
This  most  rustic  of  all  climbing  beauties,  whose  rounded 
masses  of  green  foliage  and  flowers  faU  into  clustei-s  as  pretty 
as  snow-wi-eaths,  is  usually  condemned  to  a  pole  in  the  kitchen 
garden  or  the  hop-field.  Tliere  are  few  things,  in  its  way, 
which  deserve  a  better  place  in  the  affections  of  those  who  live 
in  the  rural  cottage  or  farm-house,  than  the  hop,  which  is 
ornamental  and  useful  in  the  highest  degree. 


212  COUNTKY   HOUSES. 

We  must  add  a  word  or  two  here,  regarding  the  position  of 
vines.  In  all  houses  with  projecting  eaves,  they  should  be 
planted  as-  far  out  from  the  walls  as  the  roof  projects,  so  that 
tlje  roots  may  be  exjiosed  to  the  kindly  influences  of  the  rain — 
which  wuuld  be  mainly  lost  to  them,  if  planted  close  to  the 
house.  In  wooden  cottages,  very  nicely  constioicted,  and 
which  are  to  be  painted  frequently,  a  trellis  may  be  placed 
a  foot  from  the  building,  on  which  to  train  the  vines,  so 
that  the  latter  need  not  be  removed  when  the  pamt  is  to  be 
renewed. 

Some  of  our  readei^s  may  desire  to  know  whether  it  is. 
generally  in  good  taste  to  plant  vines  aromid  villas  and 
country  houses  of  larger  size,  as  aromid  cottages  and  farm- 
houses. Our  own  feeling  on  this  subject  is  briefly  this :  that 
the  more  nistic  and  rural  tlie  cottage — the  less  pretension  it 
makes  to  architectural  style,  the  more  entirely  does  it  demand 
the  adornment  of  vines  and  climbing  plants.  They  are  its 
most  becoming  ornaments,  and  make,  at  little  cost,  its  best 
compensation  for  all  lack  of  elaborate  architectural  efiect. 

On  the  t)ther  hand,  in  proportion  to  the  perfection  of  design 
and  execution  of  the  villa,  its  architecture  should  stand  by 
itself.  The  architect  does  not  design  the  S])andrils  of  his 
arches  and  the  tracery  of  his  wind<^)ws  to  be  hidden  by  foliage ; 
they  were  made  to  invit<3  the  eye,  and  not  to  be  concealed  from 
it.  Tlie  more  simple  and  nistic  villa  may,  however,  be  very 
properly  adorned  by  vines,  and  some  of  thii  cheapest  and  most 
pictures(pie  of  country  houses  nuiy  be  attained  by  laying  up 
the  roughest  exterior  walls  to  be  covered  with  ivy  and  other 
creepers,  leaving  all  the  expense  of  outside  finish  to  be  applied 
to  the  comfoi*,  and  convenience  of  the  interior. 


HINTS   FOR   COTTAGE   AND   FAEM   STABLES. 


213 


SECTION  YHI. 

HINTS  FOR  COTTAGE  AND  FARM  STABLES. 

"We  do  not  propose  to  enter  into  details  on  the  subject  oi 
outbuildings,  wbich,  if  properly  treated,  might  fill  a  volume; 
but  merely  to  give  a  few  hints,  to  serve  those  who  have  given 
it  but  little  thought,  and  who  desire  some  outlines,  to  enable 
them  the  better  to  put  theii'  own  ideas  in  a  more  definite  shape. 
Fig.  90  shows  the  elevation  and  ground 
plan  of  a  stable,  measuring  18  by  20  feet 
)utside,  for  a  single  horse  and  wagon.  In 
the  plan,  "W  is  the  space  for  a  wagon  or 
chaise,  12  by  16  feet,  having  closets  for 
harness,  c,  c,  at  one  end.  H  is  the  stall  for 
one  horse,  5^  by  14  feet  (including  the  rack 
for  hay,  r,  and  the  manger,  m,  at  one  end). 
Tliis  stall,  besides   its   separate   door,  has   a 

LI  sliding  door,  o,  4  feet  wide,  which  wiU  allow 
^  J  the  horse  to  pass   to  and   from  the   vehicle 

'"^'^■fo?"one°H^sl]'*  ^  Standing  in  "W,  before  and  after  harnessing. 
S,  is  a  small  passage,  in  which  the  stairs  to  the  hay-loft  above 
are  placed.  It  is  a  common  practice,  even  in  stables  of  large 
size,  to  place  the  flight  of  steps  to  the  hay-loft  in  the  carriage- 
house,   or  space    where    the  vehicles   are  kept;   but   as   this 


^* 


214 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


always  effectually  prevents  the  possibility  of  keeping  either 
wagon,  carriage,  or  harness  clean,  since  the  dust  of  the  hay 
will  find  its  way  down  the  opening  of  the  staii'way,  we  would 
always  place  the  access  to  the  hay-loft,  if  it  be  only  by  a 
ladder,  in  a  passage  by  itself,  separated  by  a  door  from  the 
room  where  vehicles  are  kept. 

The  elevation  of  this  little  stable  shows  a  broad  ^vindow  for 
receiving  the  hay,  and  over  it  a  small  space,  with  openings, 
devoted  to  pigeons. 

This  stable  is  in  the  simplest  bracketed  mode,  and  is 
intended  to  be  built  of  wood,  when  it  would  accord  with  any  of 
the  cheaj)  bracketed  designs  in  the  foregoing  pages.  The  cost 
here  would  be  about  $190 — and  in  many  parts  of  the  country, 
where  lumber  is  cheap,  it  may  be  built  for  less  than  two-thirds 
this  sum.  A  stable  of  this  kind  would  look  sufficiently  well,  in 
all  cases,  if  built  of  rough  1^  inch  plank,  battened  at  the  joints, 
and  the  w^hole  painted  or  colored  with  some  cheap  wash. 

Fig.  91  is  the  plan  and  elevation  of  a 
lable,  measuring  20  by  24  feet,  in  the 
clear,  inside.  It  contains  accommodations 
for  a  horse  at  H,  and  for  a  cow  at  C. 
The  space  for  wagon  and  small  can-iage 
is  shown  at  W.  The  hamess-room  or 
closet  at  R ;  the  staii-s  to  the  hay-loft  at  S. 
Tliere  is  a  separate  door,  a,  to  the  cow's 
stall,  and  the  stall  may  also,  for  con- 
venience of  feeding,  be  entered  from  the 
passage  where  the  flight  of  stall's  is, 
(Fig.  ni.  Cottage  stnbic  for  1.  tlirouirli  a  suiall  doorway  shown  at  e. 

Horse  luij  Cow.]  "  '' 

This  design   is  in  a  simple   mode,   which   would  harmonize 


F-^    K 

1'' 
1 

M 


C  5X12 


R7XS 


H 

5i  X 14- 


j4y  IB 


HINTS   FOK  COTTAGE   AND   FARM   STABLES. 


215 


with  cottages  in  the  Italian  or  any  classical  style.  The  walls 
are  14  feet  high,  and  the  roof  rises  6  feet  in  the  centre,  and 
projects  two  feet  at  the  eaves.  Built  of  wood,  in  a  rough 
manner,  battened,  this  stable  would  cost  about  $325.  It  would 
look  still  better  if  built  of  hard  brick,  and  the  cost,  here,  would 
not  exceed  $350, 


•c 

21X2; 


[Fig.  92.    Model  Cottage  Stable.] 

Fig.  92  is  a  model  plan  for  a  carriage-house,  stable,  and 
barn,  calculated  for  two  horses  and  three  vehicles.  In  the 
plan  (21  feet  by  32  feet  inside),  c  is  the  can-iage-house,  21  feet 
square.  The  entrance  to  this  is  by  two  doors,  so  that  the 
carnage  may,  if  the  locality  wiU  allow  it,  drive  in  at  one  door 
and  out  at  the  other;  but  if  not,  then,  instead,  one  doorway 
only,  may  be  placed  in  the  end,  where  the  window,  ^,  now  is. 
H  H  are  the  stalls  for  horses,  each  5^  by  14  feet,  with  a  sliding 
door,  «',  communicating  with  the  carriage-house ;  a  is  the  space 
partitioned  oif  for  the  stairs  to  the  hay-loft,  and  there  is  a  door 
at  the  bottom  to  keep  out  dust.  E,  is  the  harness-room ;  d  the 
back  door  to  the  stable,  through  which  litter  is  also  swept  out 
into  the  stable-yard.  The  posts  of  tliis  stable  are  15  feet  long, 
and  the  roof  rises  about  12  feet  (the  pitch  being  a  square  or 
right  angle  A).    Those  who  prefer  it    may   omit    the    small 


21  ()  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

gal)lc,  ami  receive  the  hay  through  windows  in  the  large  end 
gables. 

The  elevation  shown  in  Fig.  92  is  in  the  simplest  bracketed 
style,  to  be  built  of  wood.  The  cost  here  would  be  about 
$400 ;  at  Kochester,  about  $320. 


[Fig.  93.    Cottage  Stables.] 

Fig.  93  shows  two  elevations,* drawn  to  half  the  scale,  but 
adapted  to  the  same  ground  plan  as  Fig.  92,  The  elevation  to 
the  left,  a,  is  one  in  a  simple  gothic  or  pointed  style,  shoNving 
how  easily,  by  the  alteration  of  a  few  lines,  the  style  of  the 
stable  may  be  made  to  harmonize  with  that  of  the  dwelling. 
Another,  in  a  more  classical  style,  is  shown  at  h. 

In  arranging  stable  accommodations,  there  are  a  few  leading 
points  which  must  be  borne  in  mind,  even  in  tlie  smallest 
buildings,  when  convenience  and  comfort  are  aimed  at. 

In  the  first  place,  the  stalls  should  be  5^  feet  wide,*  and  not 
less  than  14  feet  deep,  including  the  whole  space  behind  the 
horse.  Tlie  jiartition  between  the  stalls  should  extend  back 
not  less  than  8  feet,  and  the  floor  of  the  stall,  u})on  wliicli  the 
horee  stands,  should  incline  about  li  inches,  till  it  reaches  the 
end  of  this  partition,  behind  which  should  be  a  depression  or 
gutter,  to  carrv  oft'  all  the  moistuue.     In  all  cases  where  the 

*  We  know  that  niuiiy  stables  iilToril  scarcely  5  feet — but  only  a  miall  horse  can 
lie  down  comfortably  in  such  a  stall — and  shame  to  him  who  builds  a  stall  in  which 
his  horse  is  forced  to  sleep  standing. 


HINTS   FOR   COITAGE   AND   FARM   STABLES. 


217 


hay  is  kept  in  a  loft  above  the  stable,  we  would  make  an 
opening  through  the  floor,  over,  the  manger  of  each  stall,  thus 
supplying  the  hay-rack  to  that  stall  from  the  hay-loft  above, 
without  caiTying  or  pitching  it  down.  This  is  not  only  a 
great  saving  of  both  labor  and  hay,  but  it  insm-es  cleanliness,  a 
7|  great  virtue  in  a  stable.  Fig.  94,  which  is  a 
sketch  of  the  interior  of  a  stall,  shows  such 
a  hay-rack  at  «,  directly  under  which  is  the 
manger,  5,  to  catch  any  hay  that  may  fall,  and 
at  the  end  is  a  box,  <?,  partitioned  off  the 
manger,  for  corn  or  oats.  At  e,  is  a  hole  in 
[Fig.  94.  Horse  stau.]  the  manger  rim,  through  which  the  halter- 
strap  is  passed,  at  the  end  of  which  is  a  wooden  sinker,  o,  just 
heavy  enough  to  keep  the  loose  end  of  the  halter  down.  This 
allows  the  halter  sufficient  play  to  give  the  horse  room  to  eat 
or  lie  down,  without  allowing  it  to  fall  in  such  a  position  that 
he  may  get  his  legs  over  it. 

The  large  door  in  the  room  or  house  for  carriages  should  not 
be  less  than  8  feet  wide,  and,  if  a  full-top  caniage  is  used,  not 
less  than  9  feet  high.  The  can-iage-house  and  stables  should 
have  9|  feet  clear  between  the  beams. 

Farm  Bajrns  and  Outbtjildings.  For  a  fami  of  moderate 
size,  or  one  where  the  means  of  the  o^\^ler  are  limited,  the  most 
economical  mode  of  accommodating  the  stock  and  produce  of 
the  farm  is  in  a  bam  and  stable  combined.  This  building 
should  be  placed  in  a  situation  where,  either  natm*ally  or 
artificially,  the  groimd  slopes,  so  that  on  one  side,  the  haroi  is 
entered  on  the  level  of  the  ground,  and  on  the  other  the  staUe^ 
which  is  one  story  lower.  This  latter,  or  basement  story, 
opens   on    the    cattle-yard,   and    contains    accommodation    for 


# 


218 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


COWS  and  horses,  root-cellar,  etc. — thus  the  same  roof  and 
walls  cover  and  inclose  at  once  the  live  stock  below  and  the 
hay  and  grain  above. 

As  one  of  the  best  and  most  complete  examples  of  this  kind 
of  bam  and  stable  Avithin  our  observation,  we  may  instance 
that  of  om'  neighbor,  Mr.  Wm.  Sayer,  8  miles  from  Newburg. 
Mr.  Sayer's  farm  lies  in  a  gi*azing  district,  and,  of  course,  his 
outbuildings  are  different  from  those  requu-ed  in  a  strictly 
grain-growing  district.  "We  have  never  seen,  however,  in  any 
part  of  the  countiy,  a  single  farm  building  in  which  economy 
of  space,  excellence  of  arrangement,  and  nicety  of  construction 
were  more  completely  combined  than  in  this  barn.  AVe  may 
add,  that  the  plan  is  entirely  Mr.  S.'s,  and,  for  a  farm  of  this 
kind,  is  not  easily  improved. 


[Fig.  9C.    Plan  of  the  Main  Floor.] 


HINTS  FOR  COTTAGE  AND  FARM  STABLES. 


219 


R 


T 


Larnagc    _^__ 
house 


L  °ma. 


Ebrses 


Cows 


I 

1^ 


Cows 


[Fig.  97.    Plan  of  the  Basement  Floor.] 


The  elevation,  Fig.  95,  shows  the  stable  or  basement  side, 
with  both  stories.  The  posts  are  16  feet  long,  from  the  base- 
ment walls  to  the  eaves.  The  opposite  side,  one  story  high, 
shows  two  pairs  of  double  doors  for  di'iviug  in  loads  of  hay 
and  grain.  The  whole  building  is  30  by  Y2  feet,  outside — 30 
feet  square  being  a  hay-bam,  under  which  is  the  stable  for 
cows,  and  the  remaining  43  feet  being  a  grain  and  hay  bam, 
with  horse-stalls,  carriage-house,  etc.,  below.  At  a  a  are 
shown  tackle  beams,  with  hooks,  to  which  a  block  can  be  at- 
tached, for  lowering  or  drawing  any  thing  up  to  the  main 
floor. 

In  Fig.  96,  which  is  the  plan  of  the  barn  floor,  A  is  the  mam 
floor,  12  feet  wide,  with  a  hay-mow  on  each  side.  At  B  is  a 
hay-well,  or  hole  in  the  floor,  with  a  cm-b  round  it,  through 
which  the  hay  is  thrown  into  the  feeding  passage  in  the  cow- 
stable  below.  This  cm-b  is  removed,  and  a  trap  door  put  in 
its  place  in  summer. 

C  is  the  threshing  floor,  14  feet  wide,  with  a  hay-mow  on 
one  side,  and  grain  on  the  other.  On  one  side  of  this  floor  is  a 
space  c,  through  which  straw  is  thrown  into  the  straw-room, 
and  another,  5,  through  which  roots  are  thrown  into  the  root- 
cellar,  both  being  in  the  basement ;   while  on  the  other  side  are 


220 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


[Fig.  98.    Th resiling 
Floor.] 


openings,  e,  <',  through  which  liay  is  placed  in  the  racks  of  the 
horses,  in  the  stable  beneath. 

Fig.  98,  which  is  a  view  of  the  mow  on  one 
side  of  the  threshing  floor,  will  show  how 
cleverly  these  openings  are  managed,  in  order 
to  occupy  no  space  wanted  for  other  uses.  In 
tliis,  a  is  the  side  of  the  mow,  boarded  up 
about  3i  feet — in  which  are  doors,  5,  that  shut 
out  all  dust,  etc.  These  doors  are  hinged  on 
the  lower  side,  and  when  thro'wn  down,  or 
opened,  c,  give  ample  space  for  filling  the  racks  below  in  the 
easiest  manner. 

Let  us  now  examine  the  basement  or  stable  story  of  this 
bam,  Fig.  97.  The  first  feature  that  demands  our  attention  is 
the  cow-stable,  occupying  about  30  feet  square,  being  that 
portion  on  the  left  hand  of  the  plan.  Fig.  97.  Here  is  a  large 
"feeding  passage,"  11  feet  wide,  including  the  mangere,  a  a,  on 
a  level  with  the  floor.*  This  passage  is  supplied  with  hay,  it 
will  be  remembered,  through  the  hole,  B,  in  the  ceiling  (which 
is  in  the  floor  of  the  bam  above).  This  well-hole  acts  also  as 
a  ventilator,  whenever  one  is  necessary,  for  the  whole  cow- 
stable. 

The  cow-stable  accommodates  18  cows,  and  the  manner  of 
placing  the  cows  in  the  stalls  is  both  original  and  excellent. 
Tlie  stalls  measure   3   feet    2    inches   from    centre    to    centre 


*  Tliia  feeding  passage  (including  the  mangers)  lias  a  mortar  floor,  made  of  lime 
and  sand,  over  small  stones,  perfectly  hard  and  smooth,  so  that  no  hay-seed  is  lost, 
wliile  the  whole  can  be  kept  as  clean  as  a  parlor ;  as  indeed  it  is,  under  Mr.  Sayer's 
excellent  management. 


HINTS  FOR   COTTAGE  AND   FAKM  STABLES. 


221 


(a  width  scarcely  enough,  iu  our  judgment,  but  which  Mr.  S. 
declares,  from  long  experience,  to  be  amply  sufficient  in  this 
mode).  These  stalls  are  formed  of  a  series  of  light  gates^  or 
rather  each  side  of  the  stall  is  a  single  gate,  swinging — ^not 
upon  hinges  likely  to  be  broken — but  upon  a  wooden  pivot, 
made  on  the  upper  and  lower  end  of  the  frame  post  at  one  end, 
2,  of  the  gate.  Sui3posing  the  cows  entering  the  door  J,  Fig. 
97,  to  be  stalled  for  the  night — the  gates  being  all  s\^^.nlg  open 
(as  the  three  first  are  represented),  the  first  cow  enters — the 
gate  is  shut  behind  her,  and  thus  forms  her  stall — then  another, 
and  the  gate  is  shut,  and  another,  until  all  the  gates  are  closed, 
and  the  cows  stalled  for  the  night,  as  represented  on  the  other 
side,  G.  These  gates  are  made  of  oak,  framed  so  as  to  be 
light  and  strong ;  and  as  the  pivot  post,  at  the  end  on  which 
the  gate  swings,  rests  in  a  hole  or  socket  at  the  bottom,  by 
raising  it  a  couple  of  inches  the  gate  can  be  unshipped  and 
taken  out  in  a  moment.     In  this  way  a  double  stall  can  readily 

"be  made  for  a  cow  about  to  calve. 
Fig.  99  will  give  a  better  idea  of 
these  gate  stalls  :  a  being  the  gate 
turning  on  the  wooden  pivot  post, 
Z*,  and  being  fastened,  when  shut, 
• .  by  an  oak  pin,  put  in  the  strip,  c, 
which  is  prevented  from  being 
[Fig.  99.  Gate  stau.]  '"^lost  by  being  fastened  to  the  gate 
by  a  leather  strap ;  the  cow,  on  entering  the  stall,  puts  her 
head  through  the  opening  at  c7,  and  thus,  when  the  stable  is 
fall,  the  cows  all  stand  with  their  heads  on  a  line  over  the 
manger,  e. 

Next,  on  the  right,  see  Fig.  97,  is  the  stable,  14  feet  wide, 


222  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

with  stalls  (5  feet  wide)  for  six  liorses.  To  the  left  of  this  is 
the  carriage-house,  also  14  feet  wide.  At  the  side  of  the  door, 
on  entering  tliis  apartment,  is  the  pump,  c,  a  large  cistern, 
which  takes  all  the  water  from  this  side  of  the  roof,  being  built 
under  the  floor  here.  There  is  a  spout  running  through  the 
wall  and  another  through  the  stable,  to  convey  water  both  into 
the  cattle-yard  and  the  stables. 

The  space  of  14  feet  wide,  to  the  right  of  the  carriage-house, 
is  occupied  by  a  small  root-cellar,  R ;  a  place  for  straw  used 
for  litter,  S ;  and  a  spare  stall,  F,  for  the  occasional  use  of  a 
pair  of  horses  or  oxen.  Here,  also,  is  a  broad  flight  of  stairs,  o, 
which  ascends  to  a  store-room  for  grain,  etc.,  on  the  bam  floor 
above. 

Our  plans  and  description  will  convey  a  general  notion  of  the 
an-angement  of  this  very  compact  bam  and  stable  ;  but  nothing 
short  of  a  personal  examination  can  give  a  just  idea  of  the 
exact  adaptation  of  every  part,  and  the  complete  manner  in 
which  the  whole  has  been  executed.  Even  the  fastenings  to  the 
doors,  all  of  which  are  made  of  hard  wood,  arc  so  simply  and 
ingeniously  contrived,  as  to  be  superior  to  any  of  metal,  both 
for  fitness  and  durability ;  and  there  are  few  American  fanners 
who  cannot  learn  an  excellent  lesson  by  examining  tliis  and  all 
the  other  buildings  on  Mr.  Sayer's  farm. 

Plaj^  of  a  Farmery.  Few  of  our  fannere  require  much 
larger  accommodation  than  such  a  barn  and  stable  as  the 
foregoing,  with  an  additional  cattle  shed  or  two.  But  in  the 
richer  agricultural  districts,  where  the  farms  are  large,  and  a 
good  deal  of  capital  is  accumulated  by  the  proprietors,  a  more 
complete  faiinn^ij  or  an-angcmcnt  of  fann  buildings  is  requisite, 
both  for  greater    convenience  of   performing  the  labor,   and 


HINTS   FOR   COTTAGE  AJSTD   FAKM  STABLES. 


223 


greater  satisfaction  in  seeing  a  spirit  of  order  and  method 
reigning  in  the  whole  estabhshment. 

Tlie  farmery,  generally,  smTounds  a  square,  that  being  not 
only  the  most  compact  form,  but  also  giving  well-sheltered 
yards  for  the  cattle.  It  is  also  usually  placed  directly  in  the 
rear  of  the  house,  or,  at  least,  on  that  side  of  it  nearest  the 
kitchen,  and  should  face  a  southern  aspect. 

The  annexed  plan  of  a  farmery  is  based  upon  those  seen  in 
Western  ]^ew  York,  where  the  farms  are  large  grain  farms,  and 
where  a  considerable  number  of  sheep  are  kept. 


Caitle  shed 
18X54- 


&7-ain     Barn 


Cattle  yojrd 


Steaming 
hoiiso 


w 


Cq-w  k.  Stable  yard 


LbYzo 


Sheep  shed 


Sheep  yard 


'^ 


; 

;. 

E 

B 


50  75" 

Plan  of  a  Farmery.] 


I  Kitchcio 


In  this  plan,  the  bmldiug  placed  nearest  the  dwelling  is  the 
carriage-house  and  stable,  a  building  28  by  44  feet.    Instea*! 


224  COUNTRY    HOUSES. 

of  having  the  door  for  carriages  only  at  the  end,  a,  as  shown 
in  the  ])l{in,  it  would  be  more  convenient,  in  many  localities, 
to  have  two  doors  at  h  h^  so  as  to  drive  through  the  carriage- 
house. 


[Fig.  101.    Elevation  of  the  First  Range.] 

In  the  rear  of  the  can-iage-house  is  a  stable  for  six  hoi*ses, 
which  can  be  made  deeper  on  the  side  next  the  stable-yard,  for 
any  number  of  work-horses.  As  the  stalls  on  the  right  com- 
municate with  the  wagon  and  cart  shed,  the  work-horses  most 
constantly  in  use  lor  draught  should  be  kept  there,  so  as  to 
allow  them  to  pass  into  their  stalls  after  leaving  the  wagon  or 
cart  in  the  shed.  The  doors  at  c,  c,  open  into  the  stable-yard, 
to  allow  the  litter  to  be  swept  out.  The  hay-racks  extend  to 
the  ceiling,  and  are  sujjplied  from  above,  the  whole  second 
story  of  this  building  being  a  hay-loft. 

To  the  left  of  this  stable  is  a  cow-stable.  The  feeding 
passage,  ^,  communicates  by  a  door  with  the  hoi-se-stable,  for 
convenience  of  feeding.  Over  this  stable  is  a  loft  for  hay,  as 
well  as  over  the  wagon  shed ;  both  communicate  with  the  main 
hay-bam  over  the  carriage-house  and  horse-stable. 

On  the  left  side  of  the  stable-yard  is  a  range  t)f  low  buildings, 
16  feet  wide  and  55  feet  long,  divided  into  three  pai*ts,  that 
nearest  the  dwelling  being  a  tool-room  and  work-shop — 
adjoining  it  a  steaming-house,  for  cooking  the  food,  steaming 
chaff",  etc.,  for  cattle  (with  a  chimney  and  one  of  Mott's  boilers 
fixed  for  use),  and   beyond   this   a   calf-house,  with   pens   for 


larNTS   FOR   COTTAGE   AND   FARM   STABLES.  225 

*;eeping  young  calves.  Under  the  whole  of  this  is  the  cellm 
for  roots^  which  should  be  dry,  warm,  and  well  ventilated. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  farmery  (balancing  the  tool- 
house)  is  the  hog-pen.  Over  this  is  the  poultry-house,  the  sides 
of  which  are  filled-in,  the  floor  covered  three  inches  deep  with 
sand,  and  the  south  side  of  the  building  glazed  with  a  broad 
window,  so  as  to  keep  the  apartment  warm  in  winter.  In 
the  rear  of  this  is  a  large  corn-crib. 

In  the  centre  of  the  rear  range  of  the  farmery  is  the  grain 
bam,  30  by  T5  feet,  and  two  stories  high,  with  doors  on  both 
sides,  so  as  to  drive  a  loaded  grain  wagon  on  the  main  floor. 
In  the  basement  of  this  barn  should  be  a  space  for  horse  power, 
connected  with  fanning-mill,  threshing-machine,  and  straw-cut- 
ter on  the  floor  above. 

On  the  left  of  the  grain  barn  are  two  large  sheds,  the  lower 
part  being  open  for  shelter  for  cattle,  and  the  upper  part  being 
^lled  with  hay.  On  the  right  are  similar  sheds  for  sheep,  with 
^ay-lofts  over  them. 

For  greater  convenience  and  cleanliness,  the  yard  of  the 
farmery  has  been  divided  into  4  parts,  aU  opening  into  one, 
however,  by  gates,  and  the  two  main  yards  for  cattle  and  sheep 
opening  into  farm  lanes  by  the  gates  at  L  L.  In  the  centre  is 
a  large  trough  or  reservoir,  W,  kept  full  by  a  hydraulic  ram, 
which  gives  a  constant  supply  of  water  to  all  the  yards,  without 
any  labor  for  the  farmer.* 


*  About  Philadelphia,  and  in  many  parts  of  this  state,  the  Hydraulic  ram — the 
most  perfect  little  water  engine  known — is  used  to  supply  barn-yards  and  farmerie» 
with  water.  Wherever  there  is  a  perpetual  spring  or  stream,  within  a  few  hundreii 
tet  of  the  \>arn3,  the  overflow  of  which  will  fill  a  pipe  of  14-  inches  bore,  a  hydraulif 

15 


226  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

Fig,  101,  which  is  the  elevation  of  the  front  range  of  the 
farmery,  on  the  line  A  B,  will  give  an  idea  of  the  exterior 
appearance  of  a  part  of  the  buildings.  Thej  are  here  supposed 
to  be  built  of  wood,  with  roof  projecting  20  inches,  weather- 
boarding  vertical,  with  plain  battens,  2  inches  wide. 

This  plan,  and,  indeed,  all  others  made  without  knowing  the 
special  wants  of  the  farm  for  which  they  are  intended,  must 
only  be  regarded  as  affording  suggestions  to  the  proprietor 
about  to  build.  The  details,  both  of  plan  and  constniction, 
must  depend  partly  on  the  character  and  extent  of  the  farm, 
and  partly  on  the  means  which  can  be  judiciously  expended  for 
this  purpose. 

Stables  and  Fajrm  Buildings  for  the  West.  We  are 
indebted  to  Professor  J.  W.  Turner,  of  Illinois,  for  the  following 
exceedingly  practical  and  judicious  hints  for  farm  buildings  in 
the  West.  The  difference  between  the  older  states  on  the  sea- 
coast  and  those  more  newly  settled  in  the  valley  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, is  so  great,  that  while  many  of  his  remarks  will  be  of  little 
value  in  our  part  of  the  Union,  they  will  be  invaluable  there. 
Professor  Turner's  suggestions  are  all  based  upon  thorough 
experimental  laiowledge  of  western  life  and  western  farming,  in 
districts  where  the  amount  which  the  farmer,  newly  established, 
can  afford  to  spend  upon  buildings,  beai-s  no  proportion  to  the 
fertility  of  the  land  or  the  amount  of  his  crops. 

Stables  for  the  West.  "Throughout  the  ^•ast  regions 
devoted  to  stock  raising  in  the  West,  especially  in  Illinois  and 
Missouri,  and  aU  the  states  south  uf  these,  stables  are  used,  not 

ram  inay  be  net  \ip,  at  about  tlie  cost  of  digging  a  well  of  inodciato  depth,  which 
will  convey  a  constant  Buj)ply  of  water  to  the  house  or  farm-yard,  or  both. 


HINTS  FOK  COTTAGE  AND  FAEM  STABLES.  227 

for  sheltering  common  stock  or  their  fodder,  but  merely  for  the 
few  horses  and  milch  cows  which  are  kept  for  family  use. 
Many  farmers  in  these  states  annually  fatten  some  one  or  two 
hmidred  head  of  oxen,  and  some  few,  even  a  thousand  or  more 
for  the  market,  and  stiU  a  very  moderate-sized  stable,  or  rather 
no  stable  at  all,  answers  all  their  purposes. 

Great  numbers  of  these  stables  are  now,  however,  being 
annually  erected,  and  some  hints  fi-om  writers  on  the  subject 
cannot  but  be  in  the  highest  degree  entertaining  and  useful 
to  all  classes,  and  especially  to  agriculturists  in  the  South  and 
West.  I  say  the  South  and  West,  for  in  the  older  states, 
models  of  all  sorts  abound,  while  in  these  warmer  latitudes 
a  man  might  travel  for  weeks  together  without  seeing  even 
one,  of  tolerable  convenience. 

It  is  proper,  first,  to  consider  what  ends  the  gi'eat  majority  of 
those  who  are  intending  to  build  in  these  regions  wish  to 
reach,  and,  second,  to  suggest  some  convenient  and  economical 
mode  of  reaching  those  ends. 

1.  All  wish  to  economize  in  lumber  and  labor  as  much  as 
possible  in  all  their  outbuildings,  because  both  are  exceedingly 
scarce  and  relatively  dear  in  the  West.  This  end  will,  of 
course,  be  best  reached  by  throwing  as  many  conveniences  as 
possible  imder  one  roof^  and  in  a  squa/reform^  or  one  as  nearly 
square  as  possible. 

The  same  plan  also  best  economizes  the  foundation,  which  in 
most  cases  must  be  made  of  bricks  or  stones,  transported  at 
much  cost.  The  people  in  these  states  are  also  in  their  period 
of  social  infancy,  and  both  their  means  and  their  tastes  lead 
them  generally  to  desire  to  reach  all  their  ends  in  the  most 
simple    and    direct    way.      Still    they  love    to    see   all   their 


228  COUNl'BY   HOUSES. 

improvements  present  a  neat,  convenient,  finn,  and  substantial 
appearance,  and  multitudes  are  now  ready  to  incur  all  the 
necessary  expense  for  such  improvements,  could  they  only  see 
clearly  how  they  can  reach  the  end. 

2.  Another  end  to  be  reached,  which  is  peculiar  to  these 
states,  is  to  have  free  access  to  and  from  their  outbuildings 
without  passing  through  the  terrible  mud  and  water  which, 
in  prairie  countries,  always  exists  on  all  the  flat  lands  where 
cattle  and  swine  are  yarded  or  allowed  to  run  in  small  lots. 
Those  who  are  accustomed  only  to  a  rocky  or  gi*avelly  soil, 
can  form  no  adequate  conception  of  the  inconvenience  of  the 
prairie  mud  throughout  all  the  rainy  seasons  of  the  year. 

3.  Water  is  not  found  in  brooks  and  springs,  but  must 
generally  be  obtained  from  wells  of  from  12  to  100  feet  deep. 
Hence  the  location  of  the  M'ell  becomes  of  far  more  importance 
than  it  otherwise  would,  especially  when  we  consider  that  the 
master  of  the  establishment,  whatever  liis  2:)rofession,  or  how- 
ever wealthy  he  may  be,  will,  in  the  West,  often  be  compelled 
to  draw  the  water  himself,  and  many  times  when  he  feels  quite 
unable  to  stand  in  the  cold  searching  winds  long  enough  to 
do  it. 

4.  Tlie  things  to  be  provided  for  in  the  stable,  are  stalls  for 
from  one  to  four  horses,  and  from  one  to  four  milch  cows, 
though  sheds  are  generally  used  for  the  latter — a  place  for  pigs 
and  fowls — and  room  for  storing,  temporarily,  hay  and  prov- 
ender for  their  food.  I  say  temporarily,  for  most  of  the  hay 
is  stacked,  and  the  corn  "cribbed,"  in  the  fields,  and  it  is 
important  that  the  stable  should  only  hold  enough  of  each  for 
present  use,  as  the  housini;-  of  all  the  provender  of  a  western 
farm  is,  for  the  ])iv>ont  at  li'ust,  out  of  the  question. 


HINTS   FOR  COTTAGE   AKD  FABM   STABLES.  229 

5.  A  place  for  carriage,  wagon,  tools,  etc.,  is  also  generally 
desired  under  the  same  roof,  when  convenient. 

We  apprehend  these  several  ends  may  be  well  attained  in 
the  following  manner,  so  far  as  small  stables  are  wanted,  and 
for  larger  establishments  the  same  principles  may  easily  be 
extended.  Other  little  conveniences  may  also  be  added  to  the 
general  plan  here  suggested,  to  suit  individual  interest  or  taste. 

n.  Pla7i  of  pi'ocedure.  1.  Select  a  location  for  the  stable  as 
dry  and  convenient  as  possible,  and  so  situated  as  to  admit  of  a 
yard  for  stock  on  the  east  side,  and  a  green  grass  surface  or 
laMTi  on  the  south  side  of  both  the  stable  and  stock-yard, 
so  that  the  owner  may  pass  to  either  on  the  green  grass ;  and 
into  which  grass-yard  no  cattle  or  hogs  should  be  allowed  to 
enter,  except  the  former  in  the  harness,  or  the  latter  to  pick  up 
fallen  fruit. 

K  the  ground  is  level,  take  a  shovel,  scraper,  and  plough,  and 
scrape  the  dirt  from  some  remote  point  towards  the  intended 
location  for  the  barn,  making  the  gi'ound  highest  near  the  bam 
or  stable,  and  lowest  in  that  corner  of  the  yard  most  remote 
from  it,  so  that  all  water  will  at  once  settle  into  that  corner  of 
the  yard.  This  will  cost  some  little  labor,  in  locations  where 
the  ground  is  perfectly  level,  but  it  will  be  foimd  easier  than  to 
wade  in  the  mud  half-leg  deep,  for  half  a  century,  after  horses 
and  cows,  equally  incommoded. 

2.  Dig  a  well  as  indicated  at  */,  on  the  ground  plan,  Fig. 
103,  and  level  the  earth  taken  from  the  well,  about  the  stable 
ground ;  and  if  this  is  like  most  of  the  earth  10  and  20  feet 
below  the  surface  in  the  West,  if  raised  above  the  general  level, 
it  will  readily  be  trodden  down  so  hard,  that  no  other  floor  will 
be  needed  for  the  carriage  and  wagon  house. 


230 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


3.   The  foundation  of  the  stable  should  then  be  laid  of  brick 
or  stone,  omitting  it  entirely  in  the  sjDaces  for  the  wagon  and 


I  ij.   iiij.     1,1,  .-uiblc] 

carriage  way.  Tlie  building  can  then  be  most  conveniently 
erected  by  forming  studs  of  oak,  3  inches  by  4,  perpendicularly 
from  the  sill  to  the  plate  or  the  girder,  two  feet  apart,  from 
centre  to  centre. 

A  covering  of  any  kind  of  clapboards  can  then  be  laid  on,  to 
suit  the  taste  of  the  owner ;  and,  on  the  north  and  west  sides,  at 
least,  of  all  the  stalls  for  cattle  and  horses,  the  inside  of  the 
studs  should  be  boarded  up,  and  the  space  filled  with  sawdust 
or  tan-bark,  or  even  pounded  loam  or  clay,  packed  close 
around  the  studs  between  tlie  clapboards  without,  and  the 
boards  on  the  inside.  This  will  add  to  the  strength  and 
security  of  the  wall,  especially  whore  horses  are  kept,  and  will, 
moreover,  more  than  pay  all  costs,  in  the  comfort  of  the  stable, 
summer  and  M'inter,  and  the  saving  of  food  needful  for  the 
animals  in  cold  weather.     As  it  is  well  known  now  that  the 


HINTS  FOK  COTTAGE  AND   FARM  STABLES. 


231 


SOUTH       YARD 


[Fig.  103.    Ground  Plan.] 

extra  supply  of  heat  needful  iu  the  animal  economy  in  cold 
weather,  if  not  supplied  by  warm  housing,  must  be  supplied  by 
an  exti'a  consumption  of  food,  with  no  increase  of  flesh  or 
strength,  but  a  great  loss  of  comfort  to  the  exposed  animal, 
this  extra  consumption  of  food,  in  a  few  months,  even  where 
food  is  cheap,  will  more  than  balance  all  that  can  be  saved  by 
withholding  a  few  feet  of  boards,  and  a  few  hours'  labor. 

A  door,  «,  should  be  left  in  the  rear  of  the  stalls,  on  the 
north,  both  for  ventilation  in  summer,  and  for  casting  out  the 
manure  and  litter  of  the  stable. 

The  doors  of  the  wagon-house  should  also  be  made  in  four 
parts,  for  the  same  pm^ose — so  that  the  upper  parts,  1,  2,  Fig. 


232  COUNTRY    HOUSES. 

102,  may  Ik-  left  open  for  ventilation,  while  the  lower  parts, 
.3,  4,  may  lie  closed  to  keep  out  fowls,  etc. 

Tiie  floor  of  the  corn -crib,  Z»,  Fig.  103,  and  the  feeding  cribs, 
c,  should  be  on  the  same  level,  about  2'  or  3  feet  from  the 
ground,  so  that  the  pigs  may  at  all  times  have  free  access  under 
tlie  whole.  This  is  necessary,  not  only  to  give  them  a  con- 
venient shelter,  and  also  to  enable  them  to  pick  uj)  all  corn  that 
may  be  scattered,  but,  above  all,  to  prevent  rats  from  ac- 
cumulating at  these  points,  which  the  pigs  will,  in  a  great 
measure,  if  not  wholly,  prevent,  by  constantly  disturbing  their 
operations,  and  depriving  them  of  their  food. 

The  feeding  crib  itself  may  be  constructed  to  suit  the  taste 
of  the  occupant ;  but  a  simple  1< :»ng  box  of  good  width,  with 
small  raised  boxes  (^,  «,  in  the  ground  plan),  for  feeding  grain, 
on  one  side  of  each  stall,  will  be  found  convenient. 

The  posts  of  the  frame  should  not  be  less  than  IG,  nor  more 
than  20  feet  high.  The  three  windows  in  the  second  floor, 
shown  in  Fig.  102,  are  in  the  hen-room,  and  the  single  window 
above  is  in  the  dove-cote. 

In  one  corner  of  this  grain-box,  salt  and  ashes,  half  and  half, 
wet,  and  mixed  into  a  clay,  should  always  be  kept  standing  for 
the  use  of  the  animal,  especially  the  hoi'se ;  and  where  conta- 
gious or  epidemic  diseases  are  about,  a  snuill  quantity  of 
assafcetida,  pounded  fine,  should  be  added.  I  know  this  to  be 
so  virtually  imjiortant  to  the  health  of  the  hoi'se,  especially 
where  fed  freely  on  com,  that  my  readere  will  pardon  this  and 
all  simian*  irrelevant  allusions,  since  I  am  more  intent  on 
being  truly  useful  to  them,  than  on  the  exhibition  of  strict 
method  in  the  arrangement  of  my  remarks. 

The  front  of  one  stall  should  be  left  open,  so  as  to  admit  of  a 


HINTS   FOR   COTTAGE   AND   FAKM   STABLES.  233 

passage,  /*,  through  from  the  carriage  and  wagon  house  into  the 
stalls.  In  some  respects,  it  will  be  more  convenient  to  have 
stall  ISTo.  1  open  as  a  passage ;  in  other  respects,  No.  3  or  4: 
would  be  preferable.  These  stalls  and  feeding  cribs  will 
occupy  somewhat  less  than  one  half  of  the  area  of  a  stable  30 
feet  square,  according  to  the  taste  of  the  proprietor — some 
desiring  stalls  only  4  feet  by  10  deep,  others  desii'ing  5  or  6 
feet  by  from  12  to  15  feet,  crib  included.  4  feet  by  13,  crib 
included,  is,  at  the  West,  a  common  size  for  a  single  horse. 

The  partitions  between  the  stalls  should  extend  back  from 
the  front  of  the  crib,  at  least  6  feet,  to  the  rear  of  the  crib, 
and  should  be  formed  of  stout  plank,  at  least  one  inch  thick, 
placed  at  each  end,  between  two  upright  pieces  of  timber 
about  1|  inches  by  5  inches,  and  reaching  from  the  floor  below 
to  the  floor  above,  to  both  of  which  they  should  be  firmly 
secured,  and  pins  or  strong  nails  inserted  throughout  their 
whole  length,  so  as  to  bind  the  whole  partition  firmly  together. 
The  comers  of  these  upright  timbers,  and  of  all  others  around 
which  horses  ever  pass,  should  be  smoothly  rounded  off. 

The  com-cribs  should  be  elevated,  as  above  described,  and 
should  be  inclosed  tightly  on  all  sides  with  strong  oak  boards, 
so  as  to  exclude  all  rats  and  mice.  It  may,  of  course,  be 
divided  into  apartments  or  boxes  for  various  kinds  of  grain, 
to  suit  the  proprietor.  But  in  the  South  and  West  the  greater 
part  of  it  will  necessarily  be  devoted  to  the  reception  of  Indian 
com  in  the  ear. 

The  well,  w,  should  be  located  in  a  recess  at  some  convenient 
point,  where  the  proprietor  can  in  all  weathers  draw  the  water 
comfortably,  and  carry  it  in  buckets  to  the  stalls,  or  into  the 
front  yard,  or  let  it  run  through  a  spout,  as  at  h.  into  the  trough 


234  COUNTBT  HOUSES. 

in  the  yard,  i.  It  is  indispensable,  in  the  West,  to  allow  a  few 
pigs  to  follow  the  larger  stock  in  the  yard,  and  hence  it 
becomes  equally  indispensable  to  provide  them  with  water  by 
themselves.  This  is  accomplished  by  placing  the  first  trough, 
{,  for  the  cattle,  so  high  that  the  pigs  cannot  reach  into  it. 
Beyond  this  is  another  trough,  k,  down  on  the  ground,  so  that 
the  water  from  the  foraier  will  readily  run  into  the  latter 
when  full. 

Still  further  on,  at  the  lower  end  of  the  pigs'  trough,  71,  a 
large  round  hole,  I,  should  be  excavated  in  the  ground,  into 
which  all  the  water  from  all  the  troughs  should  ultimately 
settle.  The  bottom  of  this  hole  should  be  paved  with  brickbats 
set  on  end,  and  the  sides  curbed  with  oak  plank  or  flat  flag- 
stones. In  this  hole  the  pigs  w^ill  wallow,  the  ducks  and  geese 
will  swim,  and  it  wnll,  in  most  soils  in  the  West,  soon  become 
almost  as  water-tight,  by  the  action  of  these  animals  upon  the 
soil,  as  an  iron  kettle. 

South  of  the  stable,  also,  at  m,  another  similar  and  smaller 
pool  may  be  prepared  for  the  young  ducldings  and  goslings 
before  they  are  large  enough  to  encounter  the  danger  of  the 
common  stock-yard ;  and  this  pool  can  also  be  supplied  from  a 
spout  leading  from  the  well. 

Temporaiy  pens,  for  the  few  calves  that  ever  are  stabled  in 
the  West  and  South,  can  be  easily  made  from  some  one  of  the 
empty  stalls,  as  cows  never  need  to  be  kept  in  the  stable  after 
the  time  of  calving,  in  the  South,  except  in  rare  instances. 
The  same  provision  can  also  be  made  for  young  pigs,  if 
needful. 

A  shed,  Fig.  104,  may  also  be  extended  from  cither  of  the 
northern  corners  of  the  stable,  and  also  across  the  east  side  of 


HINTS  FOR  COTTAGE  AND  FAKM  STABLES. 


235 


it,  over  the  watering  trough,  if  necessary,  with  racks,  etc.,  for 
foddering  "out-doors  stock." 

K  it  is  desirable  to  feed  any  considerable  number  of  cattle 
out  of  doors,  from  stacks  of  fodder  adjacent  to  the  stable,  the 
following  plan  will  be  found  convenient: — ^Extend  an  upright 
rack,  «,  the  whole  length,  attached  to  the  frame  of  the  shed,  on 
the  rear  side.  Place  a  crib,  5,  inside,  below  the  rack,  to  catch 
the  scattering  hay  and  fodder.      On  the  outside,  project  the  roof 

of  the  shed,  c,  over  the  back 
plate,  into  which  the  upright 
rack  is  framed,  some  3  or  4 
feet,  in  the  fonn  of  the  brack- 
eted rouf.  Bring  a  slanting 
shelf,  d,  from  the  bottom  of  the 
rack,  rear  side,  backwards  and 

I upwards,    to    within    two    feet 

[Fig.  104.  Feeding  Shed.]  of  the  cavcs  of  the  bracketed 

roof.  A  transvei-se  section  of  the  shed  or  end  view,  will  then 
present  the  appearance  of  Fig.  104.  The  hay  is  put  in  the 
rack  from  the  outside,  at  e. 

This  slanting  shelf  should  be  hung  on  hinges  at  the  bottom, 
and  divided  into  short  sections,  so  that  it  may  be  swung  down 
and  cleared  when  necessary,  and  fastened  up  with  long  iron 
hasps,  i.  The  stacks  of  hay  or  fodder  should  of  course  be 
arranged  along  the  back  part  of  this  feeding  shed,  at  a 
convenient  distance ;  and  the  sheds  may  be  of  any  length,  even 
extending  hundreds  of  feet,  if  need  be,  entirely  around  the 
yard.  This  mode  of  feeding  accomplishes  two  or  three  de- 
sirable objects.  1.  It  is  economical  and  convenient ;  2.  It 
affords   a  comfortable  shelter  for  the  stock  in  a  mild  climate; 


236  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

3.  It  keeps  tlie  fodder  dry  in  wet  weather,  while  the  cattle  are 
eating  it.  And  with  a  good  suj^ply  of  such  feeding  sheds,  even 
eonstinicted  on  the  rudest  plan,  with  straw  coverings,  a  small 
stable  will  be  found  sufficient  for  the  largest  farms. 

Another  convenient  mode  of  out-door  feeding  is,  to  build  a 
square  frame  in  the  middle  of  the  yard,  with  a  rack  all  around 
the  outside,  at  the  bottom,  coarse  enough  to  allow  the  cattle  to 
put  their  heads  through,  between  every  round,  framed  into  the 
upright  sides  of  the  building,  wdth  a  crib  outside  below,  to 
catch  the  scattering  hay,  and  a  narrow  shed  roof,  covering  the 
crib,  projecting  from  the  sides  of  the  building,  just  above  the 
rack.  The  upper  part  of  the  frame  is  covered  and  shingled 
like  a  barn — suppose  it  to  be  ten  feet  square.  It  is  then 
entirely  filled  with  hay ;  and  the  cattle,  reaching  in  about  4  feet 
on  all  sides,  can  eat  the  hay  out  without  any  feeding.  The 
central  parts  will  then  fall  over  within  their  reach,  so  that 
several  tons  of  hay  are  thus  consumed  without  trouble,  and 
with  comparatively  little  waste  for  the  West ;  and  then  the 
whole  crib  is  replenished  again  from  the  stacks  in  the  field. 

Tliese  hints,  it  is  hoped,  will  suggest  modes  of  disposing  of 
all  the  needful  stock  of  the  larger  kind  about  any  ordinary 
country  house  even  in  the  West,  except  the  hogs — and  they 
are  in  some  regions  so  numerous,  and  so  peculiarly  "«w 
generis^"^  that,  aside  from  the  few  smaller  ones  around  the 
farm-yard,  I  must  devote  a  section  exclusively  to  their  ben- 
efit. 

I  am  well  aware  that  in  many  districts  of  the  Unittid 
States  large  barns  are  built,  furiiisliiug  every  convenience  for 
housing  and  feeding  all  kinds  of  stock.  But,  perhaps  my 
readers   are   not  equally   well   aware,  that  over  vastly  larger 


HINTS  FOR   COTTAGE  AND   FAEM  STABLES.  237 

portions,  this  is  not  true,  and  never  can  be  true,  in  oui'  day; 
and  the  operations  of  stock  raising  are  conducted  on  so  large  a 
scale,  that  even  the  cheap  and  rough  expedients  to  which  I 
have  adverted  cannot,  in  practice,  at  present,  be  universally 
applied.  In  other  places  they  can  be,  and  have  been,  and  if 
known,  would  be,  to  a  still  greater  extent;  and  as  it  is  my 
desire  to  be  useful  to  all  classes,  I  hope  these  hints  may  prove 
serviceable  to  many  beginners  in  the  new  country. 

I  pass,  then,  to  the  provision  for  the  smaller  animals  in  the 
above  plan  for  a  stable.  Every  householder  knows  the  value 
of  good  fresh  eggs,  and  an  abundance  of  good  fat  poultry,  the 
year  round.  But  few  know  how  to  obtain  them  without 
having  them  cost  twice  as  much  as  they  are  worth.  A  hen  is 
much  like  a  firebrand — a  fine  thing  in  the  right  place,  but  the 
worst  of  all  things  in  the  wrong  place.  Like  the  harpies  of 
old,  they  are  sm-e  to  defile  all  they  do  not  destroy.  But  with 
proper  conveniences  for  managing  them,  they  are  among  the 
most  agreeable,  profitable,  and  useful  objects  in  comitry  life. 
To  children,  especially,  fowls  are  objects  of  exceeding  interest, 
and  form  an  almost  necessary  paii;  of  the  means  of  developing 
the  moral  and  industrial  energies  of  a  country  household.  See 
that  little  fellow  toppling  along  with  his  cap  full  of  eggs  for 
"  Mamma,"  or  j)atting  his  favorite  chicken  on  the  back. 
There  is  a  whole  "  California"  in  that  little  fellow's  heart — 
shining  out  through  his  eyes,  and  evinced  in  every  motion  of 
his  little  body.  He  who  will  educate  a  boy  in  the  country 
without  a  "  chicken,"  is  already  a  semi-barbarian ;  and  he  who 
leaves  his  chickens  to  make  a  hen-roost  of  all  things  sacred  and 
profane,  visible  and  invisible,  is  still  worse ;  to  say  nothing  of 
the    good  housewife's    flower-patch    in    the  garden,   the   very 


238  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

mention  of  wliicli  excites  no  small  fear  of  a  shower  of  oven- 
brooms  and  brickbats,  while  the  whole  welkin  rings  again  with 
the  discordant  "  shew-there  !  shew-there !" 

How,  then,  shall  we  dispose  of  companions  at  once  so  vex- 
atious and  80  indispensable  ? 

"We  will  make  an  entrance  from  both  yards  at  n  n,  Fig. 
103,  into  an  area,  partitioned  ofi"  from  the  corn-crib  and  the 
well,  about  6  feet  by  10.  Let  a  part  of  this  be  occupied  Avith 
stairs,  ascending  into  the  loft  above,  from  the  west  towards  the 
east.  Under  these  stairs,  and  about  this  entrance-way,  should 
be  boxes,  in  which  quite  yomig  chickens  may  be  brooded  over 
night,  secure  from  rats  and  other  vemiin.  The  stairway 
should  open  into  a  space  in  the  second-story  loft.  Fig.  105, 
about  8  feet  wide,  as  in  the  entry  below  stairs.     Into  this  room 

three  large  glass  windows, 
«,  h,  c,  should  open,  facing 


d 

the  south,  and  two  doors  at 

a  b  c 

[Fig.  105.    Hen-House  in  Second  Story.]  either  Cnd,  3  fcCt  by  6,  g,  d, 

should,  on  the  prairies,  open  outward,  so  as  to  be  fastened  half 
way  open  to  catch  the  southern  prairie  breeze  in  hot  weather, 
at  which  time  the  glass  windows  should  also  be  opened,  or 
taken  wholly  out  and  laid  by.  The  outside  studs  should  here 
be  boarded  up,  inside  and  out,  and  tilled  with  saw-dust  or 
tan-bark,  or  clay,  as  in  the  case  of  the  stables,  and  the  rear 
partition  made  impervious  to  rats  or  mice.  At  each  corner  a 
partition  of  lath  should  inclose  cages,  into  which  hens  inclined 
to  set  at  improper  times,  may  be  thrown  and  fed.  Near  these, 
on  one  side,  a  box  always  filled  with  sand,  lime,  and  ashes,  for 
the  fowls  to  wallow  in,  and  on  the  other  side,  a  box  filled  >vith 
grain,  both  shielded  with  a  cover  from  the   droppings  of  die 


HINTS  FOR  COTTAGE  AKD  FAUM  STABLES.  239 

roost  above.  Between  these,  boxes  should  be  made  for  the 
hens  to  lay  in,  e,  and  set  in,  /*,  with  the  entrance  for  the  hen  on 
the  rear  side,  and  a  place  to  take  the  eggs  from  the  front. 
Plenty  of  gravel  and  pounded  bones  (with  an  occasional  meal 
of  meat  in  winter)  should  be  given  them  at  all  times,  and  a 
supply  of  the  former  should  be  kept  in  the  boxes  1,  2.  Over- 
head, the  roosts  should  be  consti'ucted  of  rough  poles,  1  or  2 
inches  in  diameter,  with  the  lark  on.  A  few  movable  covers, 
made  of  lath,  under  which  a  hen  can  occasionally  be  put,  will 
be  found  convenient.  "Wire  gi-atings  at  windows  and  doors 
should  be  applied,  as  far  as  is  foimd  necessary,  to  prevent 
damage  to  the  glass,  or  to  keep  out  intrudei's  when  the  whole 
is  open;  and  a  proper  railing  to  keep  children  from  falling 
from  the  side  windows,  from  one  of  which  the  litter  of  the 
coop  can  be  thrown  directly  into  the  stock-yard  below. 

Thus  provided,  the  hens  should  never  be  allowed  to  enter 
any  other  part  of  the  stable,  and  they  will  soon  find  their 
quarters  cool  in  summer ;  and  as  the  hay-mow  is  at  their  backs 
in  winter  (the  rest  of  this  story  being  filled  with  hay),  and  the 
warm  sun  shines  into  then-  apartment  in  front,  they  will 
continue  to  lay  (if  supplied  with  meat  occasionally)  all  winter. 
Indeed,  they  will  be  so  thoroughly  protected  by  the  hay  from 
the  cold,  that  they  will  hardly  know  when  winter  comes. 

And  with  good  hedges^  which  may  be  grown  in  from  3  to  5 
yeai-s,  they  can  be  restrainea  entirely  either  to  the  front  or 
back  yard,  at  the  option  of  tne  proprietor,  by  opening  the  door 
leading  from  the  one  or  the  other  to  the  hen-loft. 

In  the  garret  loft,  over  the  hens,  there  should  be  a  place  for 
doves.  Some  two  or  three  or  more  holes  may  be  cut,  as  at  e 
(see  elevation,  Fig.   102),  through  which  the  doves   enter  a 


2-xO  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

room  of  the  same  size  witli  the  hen-loft.  On  the  rear  side  of 
their  room,  boxes  or  shelves,  more  or  less  in  number,  should  be 
fitted  up  fur  the  doves  to  lay  in ;  and  an  inside  blind  should 
close  the  window,  and  shut  out  the  light,  whenever  it  is 
desirable,  as  doves  are  fond  of  a  dark  place  for  brooding.  I 
once  saw  nearly  200  doves  in  such  a  room,  with  no  boxes 
whatever  for  laying,  but  each  dove  selected  a  place  for  herself 
on  the  bare  floor,  and  it  was  difficult  and  inconvenient  passing 
over  the  floor  without  treading  upon  the  young  or  the  eggs — 
hence  shelves  would  be  preferable. 

Of  course,  the  hay  is  put  into  all  such  small  stables  by 
means  of  windows,  opening  from  the  outside,  on  one  or  more  of 
the  sides  of  the  stable. 

A  small  stable,  about  20  by  22  feet,  would  fiimish  all  these 
conveniences  (Fig.  106),  so  far  as  necessary,  to  professional 
men  and  gentlemen  near  towns ;  while  one  30  feet  square,  with 
proper  sheds  for  out-door  feeding,  would  accommodate  the 
great  majority  of  small  farms — at  least,  far  better  than  they  are 
now  accommodated — with  such  variations  as  will  readily  occur 
to  all,  as  respects  locality,*  division  of  stalls,  etc.,  etc. 

In  Fig.  106,  the  pigs  should  be  allowed  to  pass  under  the  hen 
lotY,  feeding-crib,  and  corn-crib  at  the  same  time. 

The  cost  of  my  stable,  30  feet  square,  would  not,  in  Illinois, 
be  more  than  from  $100  to  $300,  built  in  the  plainest  manner; 
and  not  more  than  from  $300  to  $600,  built  in  the  best  mode, 
and  painted  white  or  any  other  color  preferred. 

One  word  in  regard  to  the  trees  and  evergreens.     In  some 

•  It  may  not  be  needless  to  remark,  tlmt  where  more  convenient,  the  stable  may 
be  made  to  front  the  east,  with  the  stock-yard  on  the  north  or  south  side,  or  both. 


HINTS   FOR   COTTAGE   AND   FARM   STABLES. 


241 


Com 


IQX16 
Carriage 


5  X12 


Stails 


1 


places  in  the  Western  States,  the  latter  cannot  be  had. 
Wherever  it  is  possible,  they  should  be  set,  at  once,  along  the 
north  side  of  the  stable-yard.     Elms,  the  finest  of  shade  trees, 

may   be   procured   anywhere,  and   a 
row,  ten  feet  apart,  should  be  set,  at 
once,  on  the  south  side,  as  they  will, 
I    carnage  in   a  few  years,  add   immensely    to 

I  J...  \  the  comfort,  and  beauty,  and  value  of 

L  rnnrnnTI     *^^  premises.    The  plums  and  other 

[Fig.  106.     Plan  ofa  smaller  Stable.]    .STYWOtllrSMnnGd  fruAtS  ^Q)\A^    also    be 

set  in  the  front  yard,  as  it  is  the  only  place  where  they  can  be 
saved  from  the  curculio ;  and,  probably,  if  the  ground  is  suit- 
able, the  pear-trees  would  be  better  here  than  anywhere  else, 

A  fence  of  evergreen  trees,  placed  from  4  to  6  feet  apart, 
should  be  planted  to  form  a  screen,  S,  on  the  north,  or  outside 
the  yard  fence;  and  Norway  spruces  or  hemlocks  should  be 
planted  round  the  south  yard.  This  should,  to  make  it  com- 
plete, be  hedged  roimd  with  the  Osage  orange,  so  that  the 
fowls  may  be  confined  within  the  bounds  of  the  south  yard. 
This  yard  should  contain  an  acre  or  more,  and  here  the  plums, 
peaches,  and  other  stone  fruits  should  be  planted,  to  secure 
them  against  the  attacks  of  insects. 

If  the  yard  is  a  large  one,  It  will  be  proper  to  commence  the 
ploughing  and  scraping  the  dirt  fi-om  the  centre,  scraping  each 
way,  so  as  to  have  the  outside  of  the  yard,  all  around,  higher 
than  the  centre.  But,  in  many  places,  where  the  ground  is 
undulating,  and  where  the  manure  is  not  wanted  on  the  soil,  a 
location  can  be  easily  selected,  in  which  the  water  will 
naturally  run  from  the  bam,  without  any  grading,  and  carry  a 
great  portion  of  the  manm-e  with  it.     Doubtless,  these  sugges- 

16 


242  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

tions  will  appear  singular  and  needless  to  two  classes  of  readers 
— those  who  know  nothing  of  western  mud,  and  those  who  are 
already  so  accustomed  to  it,  that  they  scarcely  regard  it  as  an 
inconvenience. 

A  singular  and  characteristic  hyperbole  may  aid  the 
conceptions  of  the  former  class. — A  stage-driver  across  one  of 
these  flat  prairies  once  told  a  j&-iend  of  the  writer,  that  he  had 
driven  a  pair  of  mules  seven  years  on  that  route,  "and  never 
saw  any  thing  of  them  but  their  cars."  Tliis  stage-driver 
would  probably  feel  no  necessity  of  grading  around  a  stable  on 
any  tolerably  dry  gromid  whatever.  It  *s  true,  that  an 
undrained  puddle  of  water  in  the  centre  of  a  yard  is  objection- 
able ;  but  it  is  also  true,  that  it  is  better  than  the  same  puddle 
spread  over  the  whole  of  it — and  farmei-s,  as  well  as  votei*s,  are 
often  compelled  to  "  a  choice  of  evils." 

"We  have  now  suggested  modes  of  disposing  of  all  the 
animals  commonly  retained  about  a  country  residence,  except 
"His  Majesty,  Monsieur  Sus,"  whom  a  quaint  old  writer 
pronounces  "the  only  gentleman  in  England,  because  he  does 
nothing  but  eat,  drink,  and  sleep." 

But  in  tlie  "West,  where  from  one  hundred  to  one  thousand 
hogs  are  frequently  seen  about  a  single  farm-house,  they  form 
an  aristocracy  of  the  most  exacting  and  relentless  order;  and 
to  meet  their  exorbitant  demands  is  not  so  easy  as  at  first  might 
be  imagined — for,  like  many  other  aristocracies,  they  are  at 
once  prodigal,  wasteful,  insolent,  and  intolerable — while,  unlike 
some  othere,  they  are  averse  to  wearing  jewels,  and  it  is  diffi- 
cult, where  great  numbers  are  kept,  either  to  get  them  into  their 
noses,  or  to  keep  them  there.  AYhen  they  are  allowed,  however, 
to  "  follow  cattle,"  as  it  is  called,  they  can  be  easily  disposed  of 


HINTS  FOE   COTTAGE  AJSTD  FARM  STABLES.  243 

with,  economy  and  profit;  but  where  they  are  allowed  the 
"  fee  simple"  of  the  soil,  and  fattened  by  themselves  for  their 
own  sake,  to  provide  for  them  without  waste  of  food  or  labor, 
or  of  both,  is  not  so  easy ;  as  it  would  be  found  quite  a  losing 
business  to  build  a  plank  or  flagstone  pen  for  each  of  these 
gentry,  and  feed  him  with  boiled  mush  and  milk,  in  a  clean 
trough,  thi-ee  times  per  day,  for  two  cents  per  pound,  neat 
weight ;  and  it  is  scarcely  better  to  throw  cart-loads  of  corn  in 
the  ear,  into  a  yard  where  the  mud  is  two  feet  deep,  and  leave 
them  to  pick  it  out  if  they  can — as  is  now  often  done. 

In  the  hope  of  providing  a  practical  remedy  for  these 
difficulties,  we  will  suggest  a  plan  for  a  "self-feeding  corn- 
crib,"  which  we  ti'ust  will  be  found  a  great  saving  of  labor,  at 
the  same  time  that  it  will  greatly  diminish  the  expense  of 
fattening  this  kind  of  stock,  and  proportionally  increase  the 
comfort  of  the  proprietor,  and  the  general  neatness  of  his 
premises. 

We  will  suppose  two  yards  of  suitable  size,  one  for  lean  and 
the  other  for  fat  hogs,  side  by  side.  On  the  dividing  line  of 
these  yards  erect  the  corn-crib,  in  the  following  manner: 

"We  will  suppose  the  crib  to  be  16  feet  square  and  10  feet 
high;  this  will  hold  over  one  thousand  bushels  of  corn  in  the 
ear,  which  will  be  sufficient  for  the  smallest  class  of  farmers, 
and  others  can  enlarge  the  plan  at  their  pleasure. 

In  the  ffi-st  place,  erect  the  foimdations  of  the  building  of  stone, 
brick,  or  upon  a  strong  wooden  frame,  so  high  that  the  largest 
swine  can  pass  freely  under  it  at  all  points,  thus  making  a 
lower  stoiy  of  the  crib,  some  3  feet  high,  into  which  the  hogs, 
at  all  times,  have  free  access.  It  would  be  well  to  have  the 
northwest  and  east  sides  of  this  lower  story  closed  tight,  and 


244  CJOUNTRT   HOUSES. 

the  south  side  alone  left  open;  and,  perhaps,  a  swing  door  on 
the  north  side,  also,  for  the  purpose  of  raking  out  cobs,  litter, 
etc.,  as  here  the  hogs  eat  all  their  corn — for  we  are  now 
speaking  of  those  vast  regions  of  country  where  they  are 
fattened  on  nothing  but  com.  Let  a  floor  be  made,  either  of 
oak  plank  or  of  hard  clay,  under  this  feeding-room ; — and  in  the 
centre,  at  least,  it  should  be  of  plank — ^for  reasons  to  be 
explained.  This  foundation,  then,  being  made  sufficiently 
high,  and  strong  enough  to  bear  the  weight  of  the  com  in  the 
crib  above,  erect  a  plain  building  thereon,  of  scantling  and 
boards,  in  the  common  way,  16  feet  square  and  ten  feet  high. 
Let  it  be  partitioned  in  the  centre  into  two  equal  parts  with 
studs,  lathed  up  on  each  side,  coarsely,  with  common  lath. 
This  is  for  two  reasons — ^first,  to  enable  the  au*  to  circulate 
more  fi'eely  through  the  centre  of  the  com,  and  prevent  it  from 
heating,  as  it  sometimes  will  do,  when  in  piles  more  than  10  or 
12  feet  square ;  and,  second,  to  enable  the  proprietor  at  all  times 
to  keep  his  old  corn,  if  he  pleases,  separate  from  his  new  crop. 

Lay  a  tight,  si/i'ong  floor  under  this  second  story,  covering 
the  whole  area,  except  a  space  8  feet  long  and  two  feet  wide  in 
the  centre,  that  is,  1  foot  each  side  of  the  centre  partition,  and 
8  feet  long.  From  the  outside  of  this  hole,  on  either  side,  a 
common  feeding-rack,  with  the  rounds  or  standards  four  inches 
apart,  is  extended  downwards  the  whole  length  of  the  story 
below,  and  meeting  at  the  bottom  in  the  same  timber  laid  on 
that  floor  for  the  pm-pose. 

Li  the  accomj^anying  plan,  Fig.  107  represents  the  plan  of 
the  upper  sm*face  of  the  second  floor,  or  floor  under  the  corn, 
with  the  orifices,  a  a^  each  side  of  the  lathed  partition,  5  J, 
each  1  foot  by  8  feet. 


HINTS   FOK   COTTAGE  AND  FARM   STABLES. 


245 


^ 

i^ 

I 

a 

i 

! 
id 

F 

c 

i 

1 

■ 

|e 

, 

Fig.  108  represents  an 
end  view  of  tlie  racks, 
extending  downwards  from 
the  orifice  in  tlie  floor  each 
side,  and  the  whole  length 
of  the  same  to  the  floor  or 
partial  floor  beneath  where 
the  swine  feed. 

In  this,  a,  5,  is  the  upper 
floor,  with   the  sleepers  or 
[Fig.  107.  Plan  of  the  Corn-Crib  noor.]  joists,  c,  c,  <?,  beneath ;  and 

d^  d^  slanting  racks,  8  feet  long  and  about  three  wide,  extend- 
ing from  floor  to  floor. 

The  lower  floor  is 
shown  at  <?,  e ',  the 
scantling  pinned  upon 
the  upper  side,  to  form 

[Fig.  108.    Section  of  the  Feeding-Crib  below.]  a    SOrt     of     trOUgh     for 

the  corn  that  falls  through  the  rack,  at  y,  g  ',  7i,  is  the  centre- 
piece, firmly  secm'ed,  in  which  the  posts  of  the  rack  or  the 
standards  are  framed,  or  inserted  in  auger-holes. 

Xow,  when  the  com  is  thi'own  into  the  crib  above,  in  the 
common  way,  in  the  "West,  it  settles  thi-ough  the  hole,  «.,  «,  Fig. 
107,  in  the  floor,  and  fills  the  rack,  d^  d^  Fig.  108,  beneath,  and 
the  swine,  with  thefr  noses,  pull  it  down  upon  the  floor,  ^,  ^,  and 
then  eat  it  as  they  want  it,  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
countiy,  of  keeping  com  at  all  times  before  them. 

When  the   com  is   thrown  into   a  crib,   a  boai'd,*   sliding 


*  A  still  better  plan  is  suggested  on  the  next  page. 


246  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

upon  rollei's,  should  cover  each  orifice,  «,  «,  which  may  be 
drawn  out,  and  the  com  let  down  from  either  side,  whenever  it 
is  wanted. 

Slide-boards,  8  feet  long  and  6  inches  wide,  should  also  be 
laid  on  the  outside  of  the  racks  below,  so  as  to  cover  the  whole 
surface  of  the  same,  and  so  that  any  one  of  them  can  be  slipped 
out  and  removed  at  j^leasure,  without  disturbing  the  rest.  These 
should  all  be  closed  at  the  outset,  and  when  the  swine  are  fii-st 
let  into  the  feeder,  in  a  lean  and  hungry  state,  only  the  bottom 
board  should  be  removed.  Tliis  will  leave  a  row  of  orifices  4 
inches  by  6,  along  the  whole  bottom  of  the  rack,  each  side,  out 
of  which  leoAi  hogs  will  readily  pick  all  the  corn  they  will  need  ; 
and  as  they  become  more  fat  and  lazy,  a  second  slide-board 
should  be  removed,  leaving  the  orifices  4  inches  by  12;  and, 
finally,  if  need  be,  a  third,  and  a  fourth,  and  so  on,  until  at  last 
the  corn  runs  freely  do"w^l  into  the  feeding-trough  with  little  or 
no  efibrt  of  the  swine.  In  one  corner,  also,  of  this  lower  story, 
a  strong  box  should  at  all  times  stand  open,  containing  a 
mixtm-e  of  salt  and  ashes,  half  and  half,  wet  into  a  paste,  and 
one  pound  of  brimstone  to  each  half  peck  of  salt,  to  which  the 
hogs  should  always  have  free  access ;  and  in  another  comer  a 
similar  box  should  always  be  kept  full  of  common  charcoal,  or, 
if  that  is  not  to  be  had,  stone  coal,  as  free  access  to  those  arti- 
cles is  as  necessary  to  the  sound  health  of  these  gentry,  when 
fed  on  com,  as  pills  and  cordials  are  to  other  epicures.  And 
if  kept  constantly  by  them,  they  will  make  you  no  further 
charges  for  physician's  fees,  as  a  hog  always  prefei"s  to  doctor 
himself  rather  tliau  trouble  his  friends  to  do  it  for  liini, 
jwovlJed  always  he  can  get  at  the  medicine;  and  his  whole 
Materia  Medica  is  exhibited  above — except   a   teaspoonful   of 


HINTS   FOR   COTTAGE  AND   FARM   STABLES.  247 

arsenic,  in  rare  instances,  as  a  tonic,  and  the  occasional  use  of 
a  cob  about  the  fore  legs,  as  a  flesh-brush,  for  the  necessity  of 
each  of  wliich,  the  above  are  preventives,  if  not  substitutes. 

Tliis  building  is  supposed  to  stand  on  the  division  line, 
between  the  fat  and  lean  swine,  for  this  purpose.  Whenever 
the  fat  swine  become  dainty,  and  do  not  eat  all  the  corn  up 
clean  which  they  pull  down,  it  will  be  needful  to  shut  them  off 
from  the  rack  for  a  day  or  two  with  the  slide-boards,  and  then 
to  shut  them  out  of  the  feedhig-room  altogether,  and  let  the 
lean  hogs  in  to  clean  up  the  litter  after  them,  when  all  which 
they  leave  may,  without  waste,  be  raked  into  the  yard ;  and 
thus  the  feeding-room  is  cleared  out  for  a  new  start  with  the 
fat  hogs  again. 

The  cost  of  such  a  crib,  holding  about  one  thousand  bushels 
of  com,  would  in  most  places  be  only  fi-om  50  to  100  dollars, 
built  in  a  firm,  substantial  manner.  It  will  be  found  sufficient 
for  the  annual  feeding  of  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  hogs,  and 
any  practical  judge  will  at  once  see  that  it  will  save  at  least 
three-fourths  of  the  labor,  and  one-fourth  of  the  feed  utterly 
wasted  in  the  more  common  modes  of  feeding,  especially  in  wet 
seasons. 

But  there  is  another  part  of  this  crib  which  may  easily  be 
attached  at  small  expense,  and  will  make  a  still  greater  saving 
of  food  wherever  it  can  be.  I  refer  to  the  apparatus,  C,  D. 
Fig.  107,  for  steaming  the  corn  in  the  ear. 

First  run  a  strong  stud  partition  around  an  area  of  the  crib. 
4  feet  square,  C,  D,  Fig.  107,  and  let  this  stud  partition  extend 
to  tlie  top  of  the  crib,  10  feet  or  more.  Nail  strong  boards, 
well  fitted,  upon  each  side  of  this  stud  partition,  from  top  to 
bottom,  and  fill  the  interstices,  t,  between  the  boards  and  the 


248  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

studs  with  dry  clay  jjounded  ti<i;ht,  as  the  boards  are  laid  on 
from  bottc)m  to  top.     This  is  the  sxEAii-vAT  for  the  com. 

At  the  bottom  of  this  steam-vat  place  a  large  barrel  or  hogs- 
head, or  a  water-tight  box,  E,  and  insert  into  this  barrel  or 
box  a  sheet-iron  or  copper  pipe,  or  tube,  8  inches  in  diameter 
(water-tight),  closed  at  the  further  end,  and  opening  outwards 
through  the  box  or  barrel,  and  also  through  the  wall  of  the 
building  at  G.  This  pipe  lies  in  the  barrel  or  box  in  the  same 
way  that  a  fire-flue  lies  in  a  steam-boiler,  so  that  the  water 
wholly  surrounds  it  inside  of  the  box  or  barrel,  while  it  opens 
outwardly,  so  that  at  <?,  the  fuel  and  fire  can  be  placed  in  the 
tube  or  fire-flue.  The  interstice  between  this  barrel  or  box 
(which  is  the  boiler)  and  the  sides  of  the  steam-vat  described 
above  should  be  filled  up  also  with  pounded  clay  to  the  level  of 
the  to])  of  the  boiler,  over  which  there  should  lie  a  cover  with 
holes  to  admit  the  free  passage  of  the  steam  upwards,  and  still 
to  keep  all  the  ears  of  com  from  foiling  into  the  water  vessel, 
which  is  open  at  the  top.  A  pipe  should  also  nm  from  the 
further  end  of  the  fire-flue  ujjwards  (31  inches  in  diameter)  to 
carry  off  the  smoke  and  create  a  brisk  draught  within,  and  a 
tight  sheet-iron  cover  should  also  he  made  to  stop  the  orifice  of 
the  fire-flue  at  G,  in  whole  or  in  part,  as  may  be  needed ;  and  a 
spout  or  pipe  should  lead  from  some  convenient  place  to  pour 
water  into  the  boiler  when  empty. 

On  tlie  level  of  the  board  or  cover  over  the  boiler  on  the 
inside  of  the  building  at  F,  there  shoidd  be  a  hole  left  in  the 
wall  of  the  steam-vat,  sufficiently  large  when  open  to  allow  all 
the  corn  to  slide  out  of  the  steam-vat,  either  upon  the  floor  of 
the  crib,  or  down  into  the  feeding-racks,  at  the  option  of  the 
proprietor,  and  the  top  of  the  steam-vat  should  be  covered  tight, 


HINTS    FOR   COTTAGE    AND    FAEM   STABLES.  249 

except  an  orifice  for  shovelling  in  the  com,  to  which  also  a  tight 
stopper  should  be  fitted. 

Thus  prepared,  the  operator  drives  a  load  of  cora  alongside 
of  the  crib,  and  shovels  it  into  the  steam-vat  through  the  orifice 
at  top ;  or,  if  he  pleases,  shovels  in  dry  com  in  the  same  way 
from  the  adjoining  crib.  A  vat  of  this  size  will  steam  about  30 
bushels  in  the  ear  at  once.  The  boiler  below  has  been  previously 
filled  with  water,  and  the  hopper  above,  through  which  the  corn 
is  shovelled  in,  is  now  made  tight  with  a  stopper,  old  clothes, 
straw,  &c.,  so  that  no  steam  can  pass  out  at  any  point  whatever. 

The  fii'e  is  now  kindled  in  the  sheet-iron  or  copper  (I  use 
copper)  fire-flue  below.  As  this  is  entu'ely  surrounded  by  the 
water,  the  whole  heat  goes  directly  into  the  water,  and  no  part 
of  it  is  lost ;  and,  as  the  water  is  in  a  wooden  vessel  which  is 
itself  suiTOunded  by  chied  clay  some  one  or  two  feet  thick  in 
most  places,  no  part  of  the  heat  escapes  by  radiation.  The 
steam  rises  from  the  water,  passes  through  the  holes  in  the 
board  or  cover  over  the  boiler,  ascends  through  the  whole  mass 
of  ears  of  corn  above,  condenses  upon  them,  and  runs  back 
into  the  boiler,  or  is  absorbed  by  the  gi-ain:  the  coiti  swells, 
rises,  and  the  steam-vat,  which  at  first  was  not  more  than  two- 
thu-ds  or  half  full,  becomes  filled  with  the  swollen  corn. 

When  it  is  sufficiently  steamed,  the  operator  opens  the  orifice, 
inside  the  building,  just  above  the  boiler,  and  lets  the  whole 
mass  slide  down  upon  the  floor  of  the  crib,  or  into  the  rack,  as 
he  chooses. 

It  will  generally  be  best  to  let  it  slide  upon  the  floor,  and 
lie  three  or  fom*  days  (before  shovelling  it  into  the  rack),  and 
get  som',  as  it  is  found  that  soured  food  will  make  more  pork 
than  sweet  food. 


250  OOHNTKY  HOUSES. 

Tlic  labor  of  steaming  on  this  plan  is  small,  even  much  less 
than  the  labor  of  feeding  dry  com  in  the  common  way.  Tlie 
expense  of  fuel  is  but  a  mere  trifle,  as  any  one  wiU  be  surprised 
to  see  how  small  a  quantity  of  dry  wood  will  keep  two  or  tliree 
barrels  of  water  boiling  twenty-fom-  hours,  when  all  the  heat  is 
thus  forced  to  pass  through  the  water:  a  ban-el  of  water  wiU 
answer  aU  purposes,  if  care  is  taken  to  keep  it  filled  from  time 
to  time,  as  it  boils  away.  In  cold  weather  it  may  be  expedient 
to  leave  the  corn  in  the  steamer,  and  heat  it  up  every  morning 
before  feeding,  in  which  case,  a  follower  (covered  M'ith  old  rags 
or  straw)  to  settle  down  on  the  com,  as  fast  as  the  com  sinks, 
would  be  advisable,*  so  as  to  prevent  the  steam  from  rising 
higher  than  the  sui'face  of  the  com. 

It  may  also  be  desirable  to  feed  occasionally  with  diy,  old 
com,  and  then  again  with  diy,  new  com,  as  a  change.  To 
render  this  more  convenient,  it  would  be  best  to  spread  the 
dividing  partition  outwards,  by  setting  two  rows  of  studs  outside 
of  the  orifice,  a,  «,  on  each  side  thereof — instead  of  one  row  in 
the  centre — and  then  laying  loose  boards  against  the  outside 
of  the  studs  as  the  com  is  thrown  in,  so  that  when  ftill,  the 
boards  could  be  pulled  out  from  the  tup,  and  allow  the  com  to 
slide  in  from  eitlier  side ;  or  since,  in  this  case,  the  orifice,  «,  a, 
would  be  extended  upwards  to  the  top  of  the  crib  in  the  foiin 
of  an  open  spout,  one  foot  or  more  wide,  by  8  feet  long,  tlie 
com  could  be  shovelled  into  the  racks  from   either  side   at 


*  By  placing  followers  between,  5  or  10  bushels  of  com  may  be  let  out  every 
morning  at  the  bottom,  and  as  much  more  put  in  dry  at  the  top,  and  partially  cooked 
each  morning.  But  in  this  case,  of  course,  the  followers  must  be  made  of  8trij)3  of 
board  which  can  be  taken  out  at  the  orifice  over  the  boiler. 


HINTS   FOK  COTTAGE  AXD   FAEM   STABLES.  251 

option,  and  tlie  swine  fed  with  new  or  old  com,  wet  or  dry,  at 
the  will  of  the  proprietor;  while  the  self -feeding  capacity  of 
the  crib  would  be  fully  restored  by  the  removal  of  the  boards 
on  either  side,  outside  of  the  studs  as  above  named,  with  the 
advantage  of  being  able  to  stop  the  current  again  at  pleasure, 
which,  in  the  first  arrangement,  could  not  be  so  easily  done. 
The  exti'a  expense  of  thus  continuing  the  orifice  upward  in  the 
form  of  a  spout  would  be  but  a  ti-ifle,  the  diminution  of  the 
caj)acity  of  the  crib  but  small,  and  all  pm-poses  cf  ventilation 
would  be  equally  well,  if  not  better  answered. 

But  these  hints,  it  is  supposed,  will  be  sufficient  to  enable  any 
man  to  construct  a  crib,  either  with  or  without  a  boiler  and 
steamer,  with  such  variations  as  the  taste  and  interest  of  each 
may  induce  him  to  adopt. 

We  will  now  make  a  few  remarks  about  the  sleeping 
apartments  of  swine,  and  we  have  done. 

It  is  well  known  that  thousands  of  these  animals  perish  in  the 
West,  by  "  piling-on-to-one-another,"  as  it  is  called,  in  their  nests 
in  cold  weather.  The  wiiter  knew  one  farmer  who  lost  fifty 
in  a  single  night  in  this  way  ;  and,  during  this  past  cold  winter, 
thousands  have  perished  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  IS^ow, 
however  commodious  and  elegant  a  gentleman's  house  may  be, 
if  he  is  a  humane  man,  he  cannot  feel  very  comfortably,  if 
compelled  night  after  night  to  listen  to  the  hideous  and  mournful 
complaints  of  his  own  or  his  neighbor's  domestic  animals, 
which  he  knows  are  perishing  by  scores,  either  by  cold  from 
without,  or  by  suffocation  and  strangulation  beneath  the  dense, 
struggling  masses  of  living  flesh  piled  upon  them.  A  single  pig 
in  the  fence  on  a  warm  summer  day  is  bad  enough,  but  several 
hundi'ed  hogs,  of  all  ages  and  sizes,  sti-uggiing  and  squealing. 


252  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

and  growling  on  a  cold  winter  night  for  heat  and  life,  in  one 
solid  mass  of  commingled  life  and  death,  is  truly  abominable : 
a  most  unendm-able  nuisance  to  a  whole  neighborhood,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  cruelty  or  the  loss  incurred.  Tliis  needless 
suffering  and  waste  may  easily  be  prevented. 

Let  the  farmer  construct  a  rough  shed  of  boards,  or  rails  and 
straw,  or  whatever  is  at  hand,  of  sufficient  size  to  contain  all  his 
swine  lying  side  by  side ;  let  this  be  divided  into  apartments, 
side  and  side,  not  to  exceed  10  feet  square. 

Leave  the    entrance    shed, 


B 


B,  open  to  the  south,  and 
close  up  A  and  C.  Make  A 
the  tightest  and  warmest  place, 

[Fig.  109.    Plan  of  Pen.]  ^ud     leaVC     OpCuiugS     at    €,     €, 

only  large  enough  for  the  smallest  size  of  Jwgs  to  pass  through. 
Tlien  leave  the  openings  o,  o,  into  C,  large  enough  for  the 
middle-sized  liogs  to  pass  through. 

Call  all  the  smallest  into  A,  and  then  feed  them  until  they 
become  wonted  to  it,  and  give  them  a  good  warm  place,  and  at 
first  a  warm  bed.  Call  the  next  size  into  pen  C,  as  many  as  can 
get  in,  and  make  these  quite  as  tolerable,  but  not  as  good  nor  as 
warm  as  those  of  A.  They  will  soon  become  wonted  to  their 
place,  so  that  when  all  are  out  in  the  yard  together,  the  smallest 
will  seek  the  pen  A,  because  it  is  the  warmest,  and  they  can 
get  into  it.  The  next  size  will  seek  their  pen,  C,  because  it  is 
the  best  place  they  know :  and  swine  will  always  make  them- 
selves at  home  in  the  best  place  they  can  get.  Tlie  largest  size 
will  remain  in  B,  of  necessity,  where  tliev,  from  age  and 
hardiliood,  will  l)e  sufficiently  comfortable. 

Li   this  way  a  hundred  and  fifty  hogs  may  be  kept  in  one 


HINTS  FOE   COTTAGE  MTD  FAEM  STABLES.  253 

yard  with  perfect  safety,  and  of  all  sizes,  since  the  older  cannot 
overlay  and  crush  the  younger  and  feebler,  as  would  happen,  if 
even  fifty  of  all  sizes  were  allowed  to  run  together.  To  those 
who  have,  or  who  can  aflford  more  expensive  provisions  than 
the  above,  no  suggestions  as  regards  their  structure  will  be 
needed.  To  others,  we  tmst  the  above  hints  and  outline  of  a 
"  sifting  shed'''  may  prove  useful,  through  which  their  hogs  can 
be  daily  "  riddled"  according  to  size,  every  cold  night. 


PART    II. 

VILLAS, 

INTERIORS,   AND    FUENI'TURE. 


WHAT   A  COUNTRY   HOUSE   OR   VILLA   SHOULD   BE.  257 


SECTION  IX. 

WHAT  A  COUNTRY  HOUSE  OR  VILLA  SHOULD  BE. 

In  our  republic  there  are  neither  the  castles  of  feudal  barons 
nor  the  palaces  of  princes.  The  President's  dwelling  is  onlj 
called  "the  White  House."  That  home  in  the  country  which 
is  something  beyond  a  cottage  or  a  farm-house,  rises  but  to 
the  dignity  of  a  villa  or  mansion.  And  this  word  villa — the 
same  in  Latin,  Italian,  Spanish,  and  English,  signifies  only  "  a 
country  house  or  abode ;"  or,  according  to  others,  "  a  rural  or 
country  seat" — as  village  means  a  small  collection  of  houses  in 
the  country. 

More  strictly  speaking,  what  we  mean  by  a  villa,  in  the 
United  States,  is  the  country  house  of  a  person  of  competence 
or  wealth  sufficient  to  build  and  maintain  it  with  some  taste 
and  elegance.  Having  already  defined  a  cottage  to  be  a 
dwelling  so  small  that  the  household  duties  may  all  be 
performed  by  the  family,  or  with  the  assistance  of  not  more 
than  one  or  two  domestics,  we  may  add,  that  a  villa  is  a 
country  house  of  larger  accommodation,  requiring  the  care  of  at 
least  three  or  more  servants.  This  homely  scale  of  determining 
the  rank  of  country  houses  is  one  that  will,  more  readily  than 
any  other,  settle  the  question  as  regards  the  mere  size  and 
importance  of  the  dwelling. 

The  villa,  or  country  house  proper,  then,  is  the  most  refined 

17 


258  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

home  of  America — the  home  of  its  most  leisurely  and  educated 
class  of  citizens.  Nature  and  art  both  lend  it  their  happiest 
influence.  Amid  the  serenity  and  peace  of  sylvan  scenes,  sur- 
rounded by  the  perennial  freshness  of  nature,  enriched  without 
and  within  by  objects  of  universal  beauty  and  interest — objects 
that  touch  the  heart  and  awaken  the  understanding — it  is  in 
such  houses  that  we  should  look  for  the  happiest  social  and 
moral  development  of  our  people. 

Like  the  farm-house,  the  villa  is,  too,  the  more  indimdual 
home.  •  It  is  there  that  the  social  virtues  are  more  honestly 
practised,  that  the  duties  and  graces  of  life  have  more  meaning, 
that  the  character  has  more  room  to  develop  its  best  and  finest 
traits  than  within  the  walls  of  cities. 

In  this  most  cultivated  country  life,  every  thing  lends  its  aid 
to  awaken  the  finer  sentiments  of  our  nature.  The  occupations 
of  the  country  are  fidl  of  health  for  both  soid  and  body,  and  for 
the  most  refined  as  well  as  the  most  rustic  taste.  Tlie  heart  has 
there,  always  within  its  reach,  something  on  which  to  bestow  its 
aflfections.  We  beget  a  partiality  for  every  copse  that  we  have 
planted,  every  tree  which  has  for  years  given  us  a  welcome 
under  its  shady  boughs.  Every  winding  path  throughout  the 
woods,  every  secluded  resting-place  in  the  valley,  every  dell 
where  the  brook  lives  and  sings,  becomes  part  of  our  affections, 
friendship,  joy,  and  sorrows.  Happy  is  he  who  lives  this  life  of 
a  cultivated  mind  in  the  country ! 

And  what  should  the  villa  be,  architecturally?  Those  who 
have  followed  us  in  our  fii-st  section  will  surely  see  that  our 
answer  to  this  will  be,  that  it  should,  firstly,  be  the  most 
convenient;  secondly,  the  most  truthful  or  significant;  and 
thirdly,  the  most  tasteful  or  beautiful  of  dwellings. 


WHAT  A   COmSTTEY  HOUSE  OR  VmLA   SHOULD   BE.  259 

The  villa  should  indeed  be  a  private  house,  where  beauty, 
taste,  and  moral  culture  are  at  home.  In  the  fine  outlines  of 
the  whole  edifice,  either  dignified,  gracefid  or  picturesque,  in  the 
spacious  or  varied  verandas,  arcades,  and  windows,  in  the  select 
forms  of  windows,  chimney-tops,  cornices,  the  artistic  knowledge 
and  feeling  has  fuU  play ;  while  in  the  arrangement  of  spacious 
apartmentSj  especially  in  the  devotion  of  a  part  to  a  library  or 
cabinet  sacred  to  books,  and  in  that  elevated  order  and  system 
of  the  whole  plan,  indicative  of  the  inner  domestic  life,  we 
find  the  development  of  the  intellectual  and  moral  nature 
which  characterizes  the  most  cultivated  families  in  their 
country  houses. 

It  is  therefore  in  our  villas  that  we  must  hope  in  this  country 
to  give  the  best  and  most  complete  manifestation  of  domestic 
architectm'e.  The  cottage  is  too  limited  in  size,  the  farm-house 
too  simply  useful  in  its  character,  to  admit  of  that  indulgence  of 
beauty  of  form  and  decoration  which  belongs  properly  to  the 
villa. 

The  villa,  indeed,  may  be  as  simple  and  chaste  as  a  cottage, 
and  often,  with  a  more  satisfactory  effect  than  if  inlaid  with 
sculpture ;  but  its  larger  size,  and  the  gi-eater  means  devoted  to 
its  creation,  will  justify  an  embellishment  that  would  be  out  of 
keeping,  in  all  respects,  with  the  cottage.  The  greater  extent 
of  the  villa  allows,  for  example,  more  intricacy  of  form  and 
outline,  as  the  greater  completeness  of  the  arrangement  permits 
a  luxmy  of  space  and  decoration. 

Larger  scope  as  the  villa  gives  for  the  architect  to  indulge  his 
love  for  the  beautiful,  there  are  yet  limits  beyond  which  he 
may  not  wisely  go.  He  must  not,  for  example,  forget  that  it  is 
domestic  architecture  which  occupies  him,  and  therefore  that 


260  OOUNTKY   HOUSES. 

beauty  must  be  united  to  convenience  and  comfort,  or  at  least 
must  never  be  opposed  to  it.  Instead  of  following  the  example 
of  those  who  arc  always  striving  to  make  dwellings  resemble 
temples  and  cathedrals,  he  will  bestow  on  windows  and  doors, 
roofs  and  chimneys,  porches  and  verandas — those  truly  do- 
mestic featm'es — that  loving,  artistic  treatment  which  alone 
raises  material  forms  from  the  useful  to  the  beautiful. 

Both  the  architect  and  the  amateur  must  recollect  that 
proportion  is  the  primary  law  of  beauty.  It  should  therefore 
be  the  first  thing  in  the  mere  composition  of  the  villa,  as  it  is 
the  universal  chord  which,  once  stnick,  moves  all  beholders 
to  instinctive  admiration.  After  proportion  comes  decm^ation^ 
or  the  enrichment  of  beautiful  parts  and  details ;  which,  how- 
ever important,  is  still  as  much  inferior  to  projpm'tion  as  the 
shapes  and  colors  of  the  clouds  are  to  the  gi*andeur  and 
beauty  of  the  arch-form  of  the  heaven  in  which  they  float.* 

And  higher  and  deeper  than  either  proportion  or  decoration 
is  that  beauty  of  expression  which  indicates  the  spirit  that  lives 
within  the  country  house.  You  may  never  have  investigated 
it,  l)ut  you  have  nevertheless  tacitly  recognized,  that  a  spirit  of 
frankness  or  reserve,  a  spirit  of  miserly  care  or  kind  hospital- 
ity, a  spirit  of  meanness  or  generosity,  a  spirit  of  system 
or  disorder,  a  spirit  of  peace  or  discord,  may  be  found  in  the 
expression  of  every  house,  as  well  as  every  face  in  the  countiy. 
Whatever  gives  to  the  villa  its  best  and  tniest  exi^ression  of 

*  Moet  especially  do  we  recommend  this  fact  to  the  notice  of  proprietors  who  are 
novices  in  architecture.  It  is  an  economical  fact,  as  well  as  a  principle.  A  perfectly 
proportioned  building,  with  little  or  no  decoration,  being  far  more  beautiful  and 
satisfactory  than  one  of  equal  bulk  and  cost,  ill-proportioned,  and  with  tliouaanda 
lavished  on  the  embellishment  of  it.s  details. 


WHAT    A    COUNTRY   HOUSE   OK   YJLLA   SHOULD   BE.  261 

human  sjonpatliy  and  aflection  confers  on  it  its  highest  and 
most  lasting  character  of  beauty. 

We  have  said  the  tinted  expression,  and  this  leads  us  to  the 
most  difficult  question  that  arises  in  the  mind  of  the  artist 
in  designing  villas  in  this  country.  To  unite  the  beautiful  and 
the  true,  to  make  the  outward  form  of  all  about  us  express  our 
best  ideal  of  life,  to  mould  it  so  that  it  shall  evince,  not  merely 
the  borrowed  and  accepted  forms  of  the  books  and  schools  of 
art,  but  the  deeper  essence  of  the  life,  and  character,  and 
manners  of  the  people,  and  even  the  families  that  inhabit  it — 
that  should  be  the  ambition  and  the  goal  of  the  domestic 
architect  of  any  country.  It  is  a  result  which  can  only  be 
fully  reached  here,  when  the  habits  of  the  people  have 
firmly  crystallized,  and  when  om*  people  themselves  understand 
the  true  meaning  and  the  true  beauty  of  Architecture. 

The  significance  or  truthfulness  of  a  man's  house,  especially 
if  that  house  be  a  \dlla,  is  a  matter  which  he  also  should  well 
consider,  for  in  it  lies  the  whole  philosophy  of  both  its  beauty 
and  its  utility.  He  may  easily  build,  or  cause  to  be  built,  a 
pretty  villa,  in  any  one  of  a  dozen  styles — convenient  and 
comfortable  in  its  accommodation;  and  yet,  if  there  is  no  real 
fitness  in  the  form  and  expression  of  the  thing  chosen,  if  it  is 
foreign  to  the  habits,  education,  tastes,  and  manners — in  short, 
the  life  of  the  proprietor,  he  will,  if  he  is  a  simple,  unaflfected 
man,  sit  as  foolishly  in  it,  as  he  would  in  the  church  or  town 
hall,  wearing  the  com-t  costume  of  some  foreign  ambassador. 
There  is,  for  instance,  something  wonderfully  captivating  in 
the  idea  of  a  battlemented  castle,  even  to  an  apparently  modest 
man,  who  thus  shows  to  the  world  his  unsuspected  vein  of 
personal  ambition,  by  trying  to  make  a  castle  of  his  country 


262  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

house.  But,  xmless  there  is  something  of  the  castle  in  the  man^ 
it  is  very  likely,  if  it  be  like  a  real  castle,  to  dwart'  liim  to  the 
stature  of  a  mouse.* 

Shall  we  then  have  no  variety,  no  latitude  in  the  character 
and  forms  of  our  best  country  houses?  Must  all  be  bound 
with  the  common-sense  outline  of  a  square  or  parallelogram  ? 

Far  from  it.  The  villa — the  country  house,  should,  above  all 
things,  manifest  individuality.  It  should  say  something  of  the 
character  of  the  family  within — as  much  as  possible  of  their  life 
and  history,  their  tastes  and  associations,  should  mould  and 
fashion  themselves  upon  its  walls. 

K  we  look  into  all  the  forms  of  architectiu-e  applicable  to 
domestic  life,  we  shall  find  but  two  elementary  ideas — the 
rational,  logical,  sensible  idea,  bounded  by  the  regular  horizontal 
line  of  classical  architecture,  and  the  more  poetic,  aspiring, 
imaginative  idea  embodied  in  the  upward  lines  of  pointed 
architecture.  The  man  of  common-sense  views  only,  if  he  is 
true  to  himself,  will  have  nothing  to  do,  in  the  choice  or  con- 
struction of  his  country  liouse,  with  picturesque  aiul  irregular 
outlines.  He  will  naturally  prefer  a  sjonmetrical,  regular 
house,  with  few  angles,  but  -with  order,  and  method,  and 
distinctness  stamped  upon  its  unbroken  lines  of  cornice  and 
regular  rows  of  windows.     He  will  do  nothing  without  reason ; 


*  Almost  all  imitations  of  castles  must,  as  private  dwollings,  be  petty  in  this 
country.  There  is  one  lately  erected,  of  gray  stone,  on  the  lower  part  of  the  Hudson. 
We  had  the  j)lfusure  of  welcoming  to  the  Hudson  that  accomplished  daughter  of 
Sweden,  Fredrika  Bremer,  and  as  we  were  sailing  past  this  spot,  some  one  near  her 
remarked — "  Do  you  see — a  castle."  "  Ah  I"  she  replied,  "  but  it  is  a  vcri/  yottng 
castle !" 


WHAT   A   COUNTRY  HOUSE   OR   VILLA   SHOULD   BE.  263 

he  will  have  no  caprices  and  no  whims,  either  in  his  life  or  his 
house. 

The  man  of  sentiment  or  feeling  will  seek  for  that  house  in 
whose  aspect  there  is  something  to  love.  It  must  nestle  in,  or 
grow  out  of,  the  soil.  It  must  not  look  all  new  and  smuiy,  but 
show  secluded  shadowy  comers.  There  must  be  nooks  about  it, 
where  one  would  love  to  linger  ;  windows,  where  one  can  enjoy 
the  quiet  landscape  leisurely ;  cosy  rooms,  where  all  domestic 
fireside  joys  are  invited  to  dwell.  It  must,  in  short,  have  some- 
thing in  its  aspect  which  the  heart  can  fasten  upon  and  become 
attached  to,  as  naturally  as  the  ivy  attaches  itself  to  the 
antique  wall,  preserving  its  memories  from  decay. 

And,  lastly,  there  are  the  men  of  imagination — men  whose 
aspirations  never  leave  them  at  rest — men  whose  ambition  and 
energy  ^vill  give  them  no  peace  within  the  mere  bounds  of 
rationality.  These  are  the  men  for  pictm'esque  villas — country 
houses  with  high  roofs,  steep  gables,  unsymmetrical  and 
capricious  forms.  It  is  for  such  that  the  architect  may  safely 
introduce  the  tower  and  the  campanile — any  and  every  feature 
that  indicates  originality,  boldness,*  energy,  and  variety  of 
character.  To  find  a  really  original  man  living  in  an  origi- 
nal and  characteristic  house,  is  as  satisfactory  as  to  find  an 
eagle's  nest  built  on  the  top  of  a  mountain  crag — while  to  find 
a  pretentious,  shallow  man  in  such  a  habitation,  is  no  better 
than  to  find  the  jackdaw  in  the  eagle's  nest. 

Another  view  of  this  matter  of  significance,  and  a  great  and 
leading  aspect  it  is,  leads  us  to  consider  the  nationality  of  the 


*  Shall  -we  not  say,  always  excepting  battlements — which  have  no  meaning  in  the 
domestic  architecture  of  this  age  ? 


264  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

house  we  build.  There  is  no  reason  why  the  architect  of  this 
country  and  age  sliould  not  adopt  the  ideas  of  other  countries, 
as  manifested  in  the  styles  of  art  begotten  in  those  countries. 
But  he  should  do  this  understandingly,  and  with  some  purpose 
in  it.  There  is  little  to  be  said  in  defence  of  those  who  copy 
foreign  houses  and  imitate  foreign  manners,  for  the  mere  sake 
of  the  imitation,  in  a  country  so  full  of  good  and  noble 
suggestions  for  social  and  domestic  life  as  our  OAvn.  One 
would  suppose  that  a  cultivated  American  would  exult  and 
thank  God  for  the  great  Futm-e  which  dawns  on  him  here, 
rather  than  sigh  and  fondle  over  the  great  Past  which  remains 
to  Em-ope.  One  would  rather  wish  that  cultivated  minds  should 
find  a  truer  and  loftier  pleasm-e  in  striving  to  form  a  free  and 
manly  school  of  republican  tastes  and  manners,  than  in  wasting 
time  in  the  vain  effort  to  transplant  the  meaningless  convention- 
alities of  the  realms  of  foreign  caste. 

Far  different  from  this  is  the  spirit  of  the  artist  or  the  lover 
of  art  who  gathers  from  the  Old  World — from  its  architecture 
and  its  domestic  life,  those  really  good  and  beautiful  forms  and 
ideas  which  are  truthful  and  significant  everywhere — rejecting 
all  that  is  foreign  to  our  life  and  manners.  Our  own  soil  is  the 
right  platform  upon  which  a  genuine  national  architecture  must 
grow,  though  it  will  be  aided  in  its  growth  by  all  foreign  thoughts 
that  mingle  harmoniously  with  its  simple  and  fi-ee  spirit. 

Tlie  highest  merit  of  a  villa  or  country  house,  after  utility 
and  beauty  of  forai  and  expression,  is,  that  it  be,  as  much 
as  possible,  characteristic  of  the  country  in  which  it  is 
built.  In  the  Eastern  and  Korthera  States,  high  roofs,  thick 
walls,  warm  rooms,  fine  stacks  of  chimneys — in  the  Middle  and 
Southern,  broad  roofs,  wide  verandas,  cool  and  airy  apartments. 


WHAT   A   COUNTRY   HOUSE   OR   VILLA   SHOULD  BE,  265 

But  everywhere,  and  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  in  planning  a 
country  house,  let  the  habits,  and  wants,  and  mode  of  life 
(assuming  them  to  be  good  and  truthful  ones)  stamp  themselves 
on  the  main  features  of  the  house.  It  is  thus  that  our  domestic 
architecture  will  always  be  growing  better,  more  truthful,  more 
individual,  and  therefore  more  rational  and  sincere,  rather  than 
more  foreign  and  affected.* 

Placing  a  national  feeling  and  national  taste  above  all  others, 
.we  will  not,  however,  shut  our  eyes  to  the  fact  which  no 
observer  of  men  will  dispute,  that  in  every  age  and  country 
are  born  some  persons  who  belong  rather  to  the  past  than  the 
present — men  to  whom  memory  is  dearer  than  hope — the  by- 
gone ages  fuller  of  meaning  than  those  in  the  future.  These  are 
the  natural  conservatives  whom  Providence  has  wisely  distrib- 
uted, even  in  the  most  democratic  governments,  to  steady  the 
otherwise  too  impetuous  and  imsteady  onward  movements  of 
those  who,  in  their  love  for  progress,  would  obliterate  the  past, 
even  in  its  hold  on  the  feelings  and  imaginations  of  our  race. 

It  is  not  for  these  men,  who  love  the  past,  rather  with  instinct- 
ive than  educated  affection,  to  understand  and  appreciate  the 
value  of  an  architecture  significant  of  the  present  time.  And  it  is, 
therefore,  for  such  as  they  to  build  houses  in  styles  that  recall 
the  past,  and  to  surround  themselves  with  the  same  forms  and 
symbols   that,  having  been   used   in  some    former  age  which 

*  Foreign  architects  are  finding  their  way  to  this  country  very  plentifully.  Some 
among  them  who  follow  rules  and  not  principles,  do  us  great  harm  by  building 
erpensive  and  unmeaning  copies  of  foreign  houses — as  for  instance,  English  villas, 
with  narrow  passages,  disconnected  rooms,  and  no  verandas  for  the  warm  chmate  of 
the  Middle  States.  Others  do  us  service,  by  studying  the  peculiarities  of  climate  and 
mode  of  hfe,  and  adapting  their  designs  to  meet  the  pecuharities. 


266  COIJNTEY   HOrSES. 

they  most  love  and  venerate,  have  therefore  a  power  for  good 
over  their  minds,  which  nothing  else  in  art  has.  If  we  see 
such  men  copying  in  their  dwellings  the  forms  and  ornaments 
of  old  English  or  Italian  architecture,  because  they  really 
live  more  (internally  speaMng)  in  Saxon  thought  or  Italian  art 
than  in  om'  own  age  and  time,  we  must  own  that,  inasmuch  as 
the  architecture  expresses  the  life,  it  is  fitting  and  good  for 
them,  however  unmeaning  for  the  many,  and  especially  for  aU 
those  who  more  ti-uly  belong  to  om-  own  time  and  country. 

There  is,  indeed,  both  histoiy  and  poetry  in  the  use  of  such 
foreign  styles  of  architecture  as  may  be  adapted  to  our  life, 
when  they  are  thus  lovingly  and  fittingly  used  by  those  to 
whom  they  are  fraught  with  beautiful  memories  and  associations. 
It  is  for  this  reason  that  we  often  see  with  pleasure,  our  adopted 
citizens,  from  various  parts  of  Europe,  who  are  still  strongly 
attached  to  the  land  of  their  birth,  seeking  to  awaken  again 
something  of  the  tenderness  of  early  associations,  by  surround- 
ing themselves,  even  here,  with  the  forms  and  symbols  of 
that  old-world  architecture,  which  has  to  them  as  grand  and 
powerful  a  meaning  as  the  stars  themselves. 

Leaving  this  point,  is  there  not  something  also  to  be  said  in 
answer  to  the  question,  what  a  viUa  should  be,  in  order  that 
in  its  cost  and  dm-ation,  it  may  be  ti'ue  to  its  own  time  and 
countiy  ?  It  seems  to  us,  indeed,  that  this  is  a  point  from  which 
our  wealthy  builders  of  country-seats  are  about  to  go  far  astray. 
We  see  signs  showing  themselves,  with  the  growing  wealth  of 
the  country,  of  expenditure  in  domestic  architecture  quite 
unmeaning  and  unwise  in  a  republic.  Fortunes  are  rapidly 
accumulated  in  the  United  States,  and  the  indulgence  of  one's 
taste  and  pride  in   the  erection  of   a    country-seat  of   great 


WHAT  A   COUNTKT   HOUSE   OK  VILLA  SHOULD  BE.  267 

size  and  cost,  is  becoming  a  favorite  mode  of  expending 
wealth.  And  yet  these  attempts  at  great  establishments  are 
always  and  inevitably  failm-es  in  America. 

And  why?  Plainly,  because  they  are  contrary  to  the  spirit 
of  republican  institutions;  because  the  feelings  upon  which 
they  are  based  can  never  take  root,  except  in  a  government  of 
hereditary  rights;  because  they  are  wholly  in  contradiction  to 
the  spirit  of  our  time  and  people. 

In  a  country  of  hereditary  rights,  where  the  custom  prevails 
of  leaving  the  family  home  and  estate  to  the  eldest  son,  or  to  a 
single  representative  of  the  family,  there  is  a  meaning  and 
purpose  in  the  erection  of  great  manorial  halls  and  magnificent 
country-seats.  The  proprietor  feels  assured  that  it  is  always 
for  his  own  family,  generation  after  generation,  that  this 
•  expenditm-e  is  made — ^that  this  great  establishment,  upon  which 
such  sums  have  been  lavished,  is  to  be  the  home  of  that  family, 
and  will  bear  its  name,  and  stand  as  a  monument  of  its 
wealth  and  power  for  ages.  And  this,  in  an  aristocracy,  con- 
soles him  for  the  enormous  injustice  of  causing  all  his  other 
descendants  in  each  generation,  to  revolve  as  pale  satellites 
round  the  eldest  son,  who  represents  all  the  wealth  and  power 
of  the  family. 

In  our  republic,  there  is  no  law  of  primogeniture,  there  are 
no  hereditary  rights.  The  man  of  large  wealth  dies  to-morrow, 
and  his  million,  divided  among  all  his  children,  leaves  them 
each  but  a  few  thousands.  If  he  has  been  tempted  to  indulge 
in  the  luxury  or  pride  of  a  great  establishment,  no  one  of  his 
children  is  rich  enough  to  hold  it.  Public  opinion — ^the  salutary 
operation  of  our  institutions,  frowns  upon  the  attempt  to 
continue  the   wealth   and   family  estates  in  the  hands  of  the 


268  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

family,  by  making  one  descendant  rich  at  the  expense  of  the 
rest.  And  this  home — this  fine  establishment  which  has  been 
built  in  defiance  of  the  spirit  of  the  time  and  nation,  must  needs 
be  abandoned  by  the  family  who  built  it ;  it  must  become  the 
property  of  sti-angers,  who,  in  their  turn,  will  hold  it  but  for 
one  lifetime. 

We  will  not  urge  the  difiiculty,  with  our  social  habits,  of 
maintaining  an  overgrown  establishment,  the  personal  drudgeiy 
it  involves,  the  care  and  solicitude  it  requires,  let  the  imme- 
diate fortune  be  w^hat  it  may.  It  is  only  in  an  old  country, 
where  there  is  a  large  surplusage  of  domestic  service,  that 
domestic  establishments  of  large  size  can  be  conducted  with 
pleasure  and  ease  to  the  proprietor.  Here,  it  is  quite  the  con- 
trary. A  country  house,  where  the  conveniences  are  such  that 
the  establishment  may  be  moderate,  the  living-rooms  com- 
pact and  well  arranged,  the  facility  of  performing  all  household 
labors  increased  as  much  as  possible,  is  the  perfect  villa  for 
America. 

But  the  main  argument  against  the  creation  of  large 
establishments  is,  that  the  whole  theory  is  a  mistake ;  that  it  is 
impossible,  except  for  a  day ;  that  our  law^s  render  the  attempt 
foUy ;  and  our  institutions  finally  grind  it  to  powder. 

There  is  something  beautiful  and  touching  in  the  associations 
that  grow  up  in  a  home  held  sacred  in  the  same  family  for 
generations.  A  wealth  of  affection  is  kept  alive  in  those  old 
manor-houses  and  country  halls  of  England,  where,  age  after 
age,  the  descendants  of  one  family  have  lived,  and  loved,  and 
suffered,  and  died — perhaps  nobly  and  bravely  too — sheltered  by 
tlie  same  trees  and  guarded  by  the  same  walls.  It  is  quite 
natural    that    we,   largely   descended    from    this    Anglo-Saxon 


WHAT  A  COUNTRY  HOUSE  OK  VHLA  SHOULD  BE,      269 

stock,  when  we  have  fortunes  to  spend,  should  fondly  delude 
ourselves  with  the  idea  of  realizing  this  old  and  pleasing  idyl  of 
beautiful  countiy  life.  But  it  is  only  an  idyl,  or  only  a  delusion 
to  us.  It  belongs  to  the  past,  so  far  as  we  are  concerned.  It 
is  no  more  to  be  reanimated  in  the  republic  of  the  new  world 
than  the  simple  faith  in  the  Yirgin,  which  built  the  mighty 
cathedrals  of  the  middle  ages.  It  could  only  be  reanimated  at 
the  sacrifice  of  the  happiness  of  millions  of  free  citizens. 

■  But  the  true  home  still  remains  to  us.  Not,  indeed,  the 
feudal  castle,  not  the  baronial  hall,  but  the  home  of  the 
individual  man — the  home  of  that  family  of  equal  riglits,  which 
continually  separates  and  continually  reforms  itself  in  the  new 
world — the  republican  home,  built  by  no  robbery  of  the  prop- 
erty of  another  class,  maintained  by  no  infi'ingement  of  a 
brother's  rights;  the  beautiful,  rural,  unostentatious,  moderate 
home  of  the  country  gentleman,  large  enough  to  minister  to 
all  the  wants,  necessities,  and  luxuries  of  a  republican,  and  not 
too  large  or  too  luxurious  to  warp  the  life  or  mannere  of  his 
children.* 


*  Perhaps  the  true  standard  of  tlie  means  to  be  expended  in  a  country  home  is  to 
be  found  with  us  by  the  inquiry — Can  the  proprietor  afford  to  leave  it  to  one  of 
his  children ! — or,  at  the  most,  is  it  an  expenditure  that  will  not  prove  a  serious  loss, 
should  they  be  compelled  to  part  with  it  ? 

As  a  significant  illustration  of  the  folly  of  lavish  expenditure  in  country  houses,  we 
recall  at  this  moment  the  passing  liistory  of  tlu-ee  villas,  all  built  by  men  of  fortunes 
large  for  America.  Two  of  them,  costing  from  $100,000  to  |200,000  each,  though 
finished  hardly  ten  years,  have  already  crippled  or  ruined  their  owners.  The  third, 
built  in  Massachusetts,  with  a  taste  and  completeness  that  have  rendered  it  the  object 
01  general  admiration,  and  at  a  cost  of,  perhaps,  $20,000,  has  just  passed  into  the 
hands  of  one  of  the  cliildren  of  the  late  proprietor ;  and  he,  with  that  truer  under- 


270  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

The  just  pride  of  a  true  American  is  not  in  a  great  hereditary 
home,  but  in  greater  hereditary  institutions.  It  is  more  to  him 
that  all  his  children  wiU  be  bom  under  wise,  and  just,  and  equal 
laws,  than  that  one  of  them  should  come  into  the  world  with  a 
great  family  estate.  It  is  better,  in  his  eyes,  that  it  should  be 
possible  for  the  humblest  laborer  to  look  forward  to  the 
possession  of  a  future  country  house  and  home  like  his  own, 
than  to  feel  that  a  wide  and  impassable  gulf  of  misery 
separates  him,  the  lord  of  the  soil,  from  a  large  class  of  his 
fellow-beings  bom  beneath  him.  Yes,  the  love  of  home  is  one 
of  the  deepest  feelings  in  our  natm-e,  and  we  believe  the 
happiness  and  virtue  of  a  vast  rural  population  to  be  centred 
in  it ;  but  it  must  be  a  home  built  and  loved  upon  new  world, 
and  not  the  old  world  ideas  and  principles;  a  home  in  which 
hiunanity  and  republicanism  are  stronger  than  family  pride  and 
aristocratic  feeling ;  a  home  of  the  virtuous  citizen,  rather  than 
of  the  mighty  owner  of  houses  and  lands. 


standing  of  the  right  uses  of  wealth,  not  unusual  in  Massachusetts,  was  able  to  close 
his  life  of  useful  benevolence  with  the  most  noble  and  admirable  bequests  to  educa- 
tional institutions — bequests  amounting  to  the  whole  of  the  difference  between  the 
cost  of  his  beautiful  villa,  which  he  wisely  enjoyed,  and  bequeathed  to  one  of  his 
children,  and  those  which  we  have  just  quoted  as  having,  by  their  great  first  cost 
and  subsequent  expense  of  maintenance,  nearly  ruined  those  for  whose  children's 
homes  they  were  erected. 


DESIGNS   FOK  VILLAS   OR  COUlSmtY   HOUSES.  271 


SECTION  X. 
DESIGNS  FOR  VILLAS  OR  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

As  a  villa  is  a  house  surrounded  by  more  or  less  land,  it  is 
impossible  rightly  to  understand  how  to  design  such  a  dwelling 
for  a  given  site,  without  knowing  something  of  the  locality 
where  it  is  to  be  placed.  The  scenery,  amid  which  it  is  to 
stand,  if  it  is  of  a  strongly  marked  character,  will  often  help  to 
suggest  or  modify  the  character  of  the  architecture.  A  building 
which  would  appear  awkwardly  and  out  of  place  on  a  smooth 
plain,  may  be  strikingly  harmonious  and  picturesque  in  the 
midst  of  wild  landscape. 

The  fii'st  point  that  both  the  proprietor  and  the  architect 
will  examine,  in  choosing  the  site,  will  be  to  select  the  best 
locality  witli  regard  to  these  three  points — view,  shelter,  and 
position  for  kitchen  offices  and  outbuildings.  It  is  far  better  to 
select  a  view  of  moderate  extent,  which  also  combines  the 
other  two  requisites,  than  to  have  a  wide  prospect  on  every 
side  at  their  sacrifice.  Especially  should  attention  be  paid  to 
disposing  the  plan  so  that  the  kitchen  and  its  offices  should 
be  placed  upon  a  screened  or  blind  side,  or  one  that  can  be 
easily  concealed  by  planting.  There  should  be  room  for  a 
kitchen  yard  or  court,  connected  with  a  passage  or  a  short 
path  to  the  stable,  and  all  quite  tm-ned  away  from  the  lawn 
or  entrance  side  of  the  house. 


272  CX)UNTItY   HOUSES. 

In  country  houses  or  villas,  there  are  never  less  than  three 
or  four  apartments  of  good  size  (besides  the  kitchen,  etc.)  on 
the  principal  floor.  In  every  villa  of  moderate  size,  we  expect 
to  find  a  separate  apartment,  devoted  to  meals,  entitled  the 
dininir-room ;  another  devoted  to  social  intercourse,  or  the 
drawinfr-room :  and  a  third  devoted  to  intellectual  culture,  or 
the  library;  besides  halls,  passages,  stairways,  pantries,  and 
bed-rooms.  In  what  we  should  call  a  complete  villa,  there  wiU 
be  found,  in  addition  to  this,  a  bed-room,  or  dressing-room,  or 
a  lady's  boudoir,  an  office  or  private  room  for  the  master  of 
the  house,  on  the  fii-st  floor;  and  bathing-rooms,  water-closet, 
and  dressing-rooms,  on  the  second  floor.  A  flight  of  back 
stall's,  for  servants,  is  indispensable  in  villas  of  large  size,  and, 
when  space  can  be  found  for  it,  adds  greatly  to  the  comfort 
and  privacy  of  even  small  villas. 

Though  the  kitchen  is  sometimes  placed  in  the  basement,  in 
the  Middle  States,  yet  the  practice  is  giving  way  to  the  more 
rational  and  convenient  mode  of  putting  it  on  the  first  floor; 
and  it  is  generally  provided  fur  in  a  wing,  of  less  height  than 
the  main  building,  divided  into  two  stories,  with  sleeping-rooms 
on  the  second  floor.  In  the  Southern  States,  the  kitchen  is 
always  a  detached  building,  at  some  distance  from  the  house. 

In  the  arrangement  of  the  interior  of  a  villa,  and  especially 
of  its  principal  floor,  the  greatest  vjiricty  of  taste  will  find 
room  for  manifesting  itself.  It  is  here  that  every  family 
has  an  opportunity  especially  to  show  its  prevailing  character, 
and,  indeed,  always  does  manifest  it,  when  abt>ut  to  plan,  or  even 
to  suggest  to  another,  the  plan  of  the  house.  So  many  circimi- 
stances  are  to  be  considered,  so  much  diflerence  of  habits  is 
there,  that  no  country  house  ever  satisfied  two  families  equally 


DESIGNS   FOE   VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES.  273 

well.  The  family  taste,  character,  individuality,  should  always, 
therefore,  appear  in  its  house,  and  not  changed,  only  elevated 
by  the  hands  of  the  architect.*  On  this  subject,  we  will  say 
more,  in  discussing  various  plans,  which  we  offer  as  examples. 

Except  in  the  extreme  northern  part  of  the  Union,  all  villas 
or  country  houses  of  the  first  class,  demand  one  essential,  in 
order  that  elegance  of  proportion  and  the  utmost  comfort  may 
be  realized — which  is,  a  good  height  of  the  stories.  Our 
climate  demands  a  large  supply  of  fi-esh  air  in  the  best 
apartment,  either  in  summer,  when  large,  airy  space  is 
wanted  (and  verandas  are  indispensable),  or  in  winter,  when 
the  air  of  the  whole  house  is  warmed  to  a  mild  temperature,  by 
warm  air  from  the  furnace  or  hot-water  pipes. 

The  apartments  on  the  principal  floor  should,  therefore,  in 
ordinary  cases,  not  be  less  than  12  feet  nigh,  nor  (excej)t  in 
very  large  apartments)  more  than  14  feet.  The  second  story 
should  always  be  a  full  story  of  9  to  10,  or  12  feet,  with  the 
space  above  it  hollow,  and  thoroughly  ventilated,  so  as  to 
insm'e  its  coolness  in  summer. 

Two  points  should  always  be  well  considered  by  the  pro- 
prietor, before  fixing  the  site  and  commencing  to  build.  The 
first,  is  a  thorough  drainage,  by  which,  if  the  subsoil  is  wet  at 
any  season,  all  moisture,  or,  at  any  rate,  all  sewerage  of  the 
water-closets  and  kitchen  wash,  will  be  immediately  carried  away 
by  a  substantial  and  capacious  drain,  built  of  brick  and  cement. 
The  second,  is  the  mode  of  supplymg  the  house  with  water. 
Cisterns    and    wells,   and    their    location,   must    be    arranged 


*  Indeed,  wherever  there  is  character  in  the  family,  it  will  be  found  that  the 
architect  is,  in  spite  of  his  own  taste,  obliged  to  manifest  that  character,  in  the  house 
designed  under  their  direction. 

18 


274  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

SO  as  to  serve  the  convenience  of  tlie  Louse  as  completely  as 
possible.* 

In  tlie  internal  finish  of  villas,  wc  always  incline  to  the 
simple  and  chaste.  Even  in  more  decorated  styles,  we  would 
adopt  a  modest  and  quiet  variation,  rather  than  one 
remarkaLle  for  ornamental  display.  The  simple  and  more 
chaste  forms  are  in  better  keeping  with  tlie  more  simple 
habits  which  prevail  in  country  life — leaving  the  complex 
intricacy  and  richness  of  ornamental  details  to  the  more 
elaborate  and  showy  life  of  those  who  live  in  fine  to^vn  houses. 
We  have  therefore  made  our  plans  and  estimates,  with  the 
view  of  having  them  carried  out  in  a  chaste  and  fitting  manner, 
characteristic  of  the  style,  but  neither  rich  nor  showy  in  detail. 

As  regards  the  style  to  be  given  to  the  exterior,  if  wc  are  to 
choose  among  foreign  architecture,  our  preference  will  be 
given  to  modifications  of  the  Rural  Gothic,  common  in 
England  and  Geniiany,  M'ith  high  gables  wrought  Mith  tracery, 
bay-M'indows,  and  other  featm-es  full  of  domestic  expression; 
or  the  modem  Italian,  with  liold,  overhanging  cornices  and 
in*egular  outlines.  The  former,  generally  speaking,  is  best 
suited  to  our  Northern,  broken  country ;  the  latter,  to  the  plain 
and  valley  surface  of  the  Middle  aiul  Southern  States — though 
sites  may  be  found  for  each  style  in  all  portions  of  the  Union. 

After  these,  there  are  rich  materials  for  study  in  tlie  ]>nrer 
Romanesque,  or   round    arch    style,   and    in    all    ihe    domestic, 

*  Most  of  the  new  villas  lately  erected  are  supplied  witli  water  (through  a  tank 
in  the  roof)  by  that  most  perfect  and  simple  of  all  little  machines— the  Hydrauhc 
ram.  By  the  aid  of  tliis,  a  small  stream  or  overflowing^  f^priug,  witliin  1000  feet  of 
the  site  of  the  house,  may  be  made  to  supply  all  the  bed-rooms,  -^^  ator-closets,  and 
kitclien  offices  with  water,  at  any  point  where  it  is  needed. 


DESIGNS   FOR  VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES.  275 

pointed  architectm'e  of  Germany.  It  lias  been  the  fashion  of 
architects  to  decry  as  connipt,  all  but  strictly  scientific  archi- 
tectm'e— the  architecture  of  the  Greek  temple  and  the  Gothic 
cathedral.  Their  attempts  to  follow  these  prototypes  in 
country  residences  have  always  been  utter  failures,  as  might 
have  been  predicted,  and  we  are  glad  to  see  that  our  people, 
generally,  begin  to  perceive  the  impossibility  of  making  a 
dwelling-house  of  reduced  copies  of  the  Parthenon.  The 
truth  is,  that  while  Domestic  Ai'chitectm-e  allows  of  great 
variety  and  great  beauty  and  purit}^  of  form  and  detail,  it  does 
not  allow  that  severe  and  abstract  proportion  and  expression 
which  have  such  grand  and  fitting  manifestations  in  religious 
or  civil  architectm-e.  The  architect,  therefore,  who  studies 
the  authorities,  only  to  copy  faultless  pediments  and  marvellous 
window  tracery  of  temple  or  cathedral,  in  his  designs  for 
dwelling-houses,  will  always  fail ;  while  he  who  studies  how  to 
combine  beauty  of  form,  the  expression  of  domestic  feeling,  and 
unity  of  style  or  composition  in  his  designs,  will  always  both 
delight  and  satisfy  us  in  the  houses  which  he  produces.  It  is 
for  this  reason  that,  in  studying  the  past,  we  should  rather  pore 
over  the  merits  of  those  quaint  and  home-like  middle-age 
edifices,  where  the  roof  is  boldly  shown,  and  rendered  orna- 
mental, the  windows  siiitably  introduced  and  enriched,  and  the 
comfort  and  pleasm-e  of  climate  and  home  understood,  than 
examples  of  that  architecture  which  is  more  perfect  and 
complete  in  a  pm-ely  artistic  sense,  but  which  is  not  char- 
acteristic of  the  social  and  domestic  life  of  man. 

And,  lastly,  we  have  only  to  repeat,  that  the  architect  wiU 
be  most  successful,  who,  after  mastering  that  which  has  been 
done  in  other  countries  and  in  past  time,  works  freshly  ft-om 


276  COUNTRY   nOCSES. 

the  inspiration  of  his  owii  coimtry — its  manners,  institutions, 
and  climate.  Sucli  an  artist  will  absorb  the  past  as  Raphael 
and  Shakspeare  absorbed  it,  not  to  reproduce  it  in  feebler  fonus, 
but  to  give  greater  meaning  and  stronger  vitality  to  productions 
that  belong  wholly  to  the  present, 

DESIGN  XX. — A  small  Bracketed  Countnj  House. 

Both  the  elevation  and  plan  of  this  dwelling  express 
something  between  a  farm-liouse  and  a  villa ;  the  broad, 
overhanging  roof  and  the  truncated  gables,  giving  the  exterior 
a  somewhat  more  inistic  expression  than  we  usually  find  in  the 
latter.  In  the  ornamental  veranda,  stretching  along  the  whole 
front,  there  are  evidences  of  villa-like  comfort,  and  the  broad, 
shady  balcony  over  the  porch  (10  feet  square),  not  only  gives 
character  and  depth  of  shadow  to  the  efiect  of  the  building,  but 
affords  a  somewhat  retired  place  of  rest,  where  views  more 
extensive  than  those  from  the  principal  floor  may  be  had,  and 
where  the  ladies  of  the  family  will  find  it  agreeable  to  pass  their 
summer  mornings  in  demi-toilette. 

The  arrangement  of  accommodation.  Fig.  Ill,  unites  com- 
pactness, convenience,  and  comfort.  Tlie  entrance  hall,  12  by 
1.5  feet,  opens  into  the  three  principal  apartments,  which  are 
drawing-room,  li\ing  or  dining-room,  and  study. 

It  %nll  be  noticed  that  the  drawing-room  in  this  coimtry 
house  is  large  in  proportion  to  the  other  apartments.  Many 
ai'chitects  would  have  divided  this  space  into  two  rooms, 
connected  by  large  sliding  doors.  But  we  gi'eatly  prefer, 
wherever  it  is  in  accordance  with  the  rest  of  the  plan,  one 
large  drawing-room  to  two  small  parlors,  thus  connected.     Ilic 


DESIGN  XXI. 

BRACKETED  COUNTRY  HOUSr. 


Tier  no. 


Fur.     1 1  I 


DESIGNS  FOR  VILLAS   OR  COTINTRY   HOUSES.  277 

large  room  not  only  has  greater  unity  of  eflfect,  being  simpler 
and  nobler  in  the  impression  it  makes  of  space  and  breadth, 
but  it  is  more  essentially  country-like  than  rooms  with  folding 
doors,  however  excellent  the  latter  contrivance  to  increase  effect 
in  a  limited  space.  "We  must  also  add  to  this,  the  increased 
coolness  of  single  large  apartments  in  summer,  when,  chiefly, 
they  are  in  daily  use  in  the  country. 

The  remainder  of  this  plan  is  as  convenient  as  the  drawing- 
room  is  spacious.  The  living-room,  16  by  22  feet  (with  a 
handsome  bay-window,  8  feet  wide,  on  the  side),  has  connected 
with  it  a  store-room  or  larder,  and  a  passage,  5  feet  wide  (on 
the  side  of  which  is  a  china  closet),  leading  to  the  kitchen. 
The  latter,  with  a  scullery  adjoining  it,  and  a  separate  back 
entrance  or  porch,  is  very  conveniently  placed,  with  respect  to 
the  house  itself — a  villa  or  country  house  of  this  moderate  size 
being  intended  for  a  family  where  the  mistress  expects  to 
superintend  the  domestic  economy  of  the  household,  and 
therefore  desires  the  kitchen  as  near  as  it  can  be  to  the  living- 
room,  and  yet  exclude  all  disagreeable  smells  and  noises  from 
the  latter.  In  order  that  these  latter  points  may  be  fully 
accomplished,  a  fly-door,  opening  easily  both  ways,  covered 
with  baize,  to  stifle  the  sound,  and  furnished  with  a  spring,  to 
keep  it  closed,  should  be  provided,  as  the  inner  or  kitchen  door 
of  this  passage,  leading  from  the  living-room  to  the  kitchen. 

The  arrano-ement  of  this  counti'v  house  shows  that  it  is 
intended  for  a  family  whose  social,  preponderates  over  their 
intellectual  taste — as  the  di-awing  and  dining  rooms  are 
much  larger  than  the  library — which,  indeed,  is  here  only  a 
"study,"  or  small  room  for  books,  12  feet  square.  In  some 
families,  even  this  space  will  be  given  up  for  a  bed-room,  and 


278 


CJOUNTRY   nOU8E8. 


tile  ])ooks   will  find    places  in  bookcases,  in  the  other  apart- 
ments. 

In  order  to  be  well  situated  for  external  effect,  this  house 
should  be  so  placed,  that  the  wing  containing  the  kitchen  may 
be  on  that  side  not  usually  approached,  and  it  should  be 
partially  concealed  by  plantations.  K  built  where  there  is  an 
existing  shelter  of  trees  and  shrubs,  this  kitchen  wing  may  be 
extended  20  or  30  feet  more,  to  give  a  laundry,  store-room, 
shed  for  fuel,  etc.  By  making  the  height  of  the  kitchen  8  feet, 
a  half  story,  containing  sleeping  apartments  for  domestics,  may 
be  made  over  it — the  posts  of  the  wing,  in  this  case,  being  13 
feet  high. 


[Fig.  11-2.    Second  Floor.] 

Tlie  second  stoiy  of  this  house  gives  5  comfortable  sleeping 
rooms,  with  closets,  etc.,  Fig.  112. 

Construction.  Tlie  style  of  this  house  is  one  well  adapted 
for  wood,  though  it  would  apjiear  equally  well  if  built  of  more 
solid  materials.  In  our  elevation,  it  is  supposed  to  be  covered 
with  vertical  plank,  battened,  as  described  in  Part  I.  The 
first  story  is  13  feet  high,  the  second  9  feet,  the  projecting 


DESIGNS   FOR  \'ILLAS   OR  COUNTRY   nOUSES. 


279 


eaves  drooping,  so  as  to  make  the  upper  story  appear  lower. 
The  roof  projects  3  feet,  so  as  to  give  bold  and  pictm-esqne 
shadows,  and  is  supported  by  plain,  but  rather  strong  rafter 
brackets,  and  covered  with  shingles,  partly  plain,  and  partly 
ornamental.  The  posts  supporting  the  front  gable,  and  forming 
the  porch  and  balcony,  should  be  of  sound  timber,  10  inches  or 
a  foot  square — of  oak,  or  painted  with  the  dm'able  and  richly 
colored  stain  given  at  p.  187.  In  this  case,  the  same  stain 
should  be  used  for  the  whole  veranda  and  all  the  window 
dressings,  outside. 

Fig.  113  shows  the  construction 
of  a  part  of  the  porch,  together 
with  the  shape  and  size  of  the 
brackets,  to  the  scale  of  half  an 
inch  to  a  foot.  The  railing  to  the 
balcony  above  is  tmnied  either  in 
the  knotted  or  twisted  pattern, 
which  agrees  best  with  the  rustic 
expression  of  this  exterior.  The 
windows  are  casement  windows — 
or,  if  hung  with  weights,  are  made 
with  a  broad  style  in  the  centre, 
[Fig.  113.  Part  of  the  Porch.]  to  havc  the  sauic  cffect,  and 
should,  to  harmonize  with  the  style  adopted,  be  broader  than 
usual.  With  outside  Yenetian  shutters,  and  the  garret  ven- 
tilated as  we  have  pointed  out  in  a  former  page,  this  would 
be  a  particularly  comfortable  country  house  for  the  Middle  and 
"Western  States. 

Estimate.     Supposing  this  house  to  be  constructed  of  wood. 
filled-in  with  brick,  with  a  mere  cellar  under  the  whole,  tlie 


280  COIINTKY   HOUSES. 

walls  (if  tlie  first  and  second  storj  hard-finished  with  plaster  of 
Paris,  the  kitchen  with  browai  walls,  and  the  joinery  to  be 
done  in  a  simple  but  characteristic  style,  the  estimated  cost 
here  (exclusive  of  painting)  woidd  be  $4300 ;  in  Maine,  S3025 ; 
in  Eochester,  K.  Y.,  $3340. 

DESIGN  XXI. — A  Villa  in  the  Normcm  Style. 

Though  the  style  called  ISTorman  in  England  is  only  Ko- 
manesqne  architectm'e,  introduced  into  that  country  as  early 
as  the  14th  century,  the  Anglo-Norman  has  some  featm-es 
peculiar  to  itself,  that  make  it  worthy  of  the  study  of  the 
architectm-al  student. 

This  design  is  one  by  W.  Russell  West,  Esq.,  Architect,  of 
Cincinnati.  It  is  highly  picturesque,  and,  in  a  suitable  locality, 
would  have  a  very  striking  and  spirited  effect.  Such  a  locality, 
of  course,  would  liardly  be  found  in  a  flat  country,  but  amid 
wild  scenery  and  hills,  whose  pointed  tops  are  in  harmony  with 
the  strength  of  the  heavenward-pointing  round  tower. 

Of  com'se,  this  is  not  a  house  to  please  a  practical,  common- 
sense  man.  It  is  not  a  rational  house,  in  the  same  manner 
that  the  classical  villa,  full  of  logical,  straight  lines,  is  ra- 
tional ;  for  there  is  here  liardly  a  single  continuous,  unbroken 
line — every  opening  is  arched,  and  all  tendency  is  towards  the 
pyramid  or  the  curve.  Hence,  it  is  clear,  that  only  those  who 
expect  to  find  in  a  country  house  something  that  rises  into  the 
romantic  and  ideal,  will  ]irefer  this  villa. 

In  composing  it,  the  architect  has  evidently  souglit  to 
preserve  a  strong  expression  (»f  \niity  throughout,  foi-  he  has 
only  introduced  llie  simple  arched  window,  decorated  with  the 


II  K  S  I  G  N     XXII. 

II.I.A     IN     rilK    NO-RMAN     STVI.K 


Fig    114 


)'KIXriPA7.    Fl."i'U 


}i  •,'^(l 


DESIGNS   FOR   VILLAS    OK   COUNTEY   HOUSES.  281 

zigzag  or  chevron  moulding — and  this  gives  an  agreeable  sim- 
plicity to  the  exterior,  notwithstanding  its  irregularity. 

There  is  much  more  of  beauty  in  the  arched  windows  than 
in  square-headed  ones  of  common  form;  there  is  much  more 
of  strength  and  pictures queness  in  the  broken  outlines  of  tower 
and  roof  than  in  the  unvaried  horizontal  lines  of  square  houses ; 
and  there  is  something  of  historical  and  poetic  interest  in  a  style 
which  w^as  common  in  the  early  times  of  the  Anglo-Saxons. 

To  a  person  mieducated  in  domestic  architecture,  the 
impression  conveyed  by  this  bold  and  simple  elevation  would 
be,  that  it  looks  -M^i-domestic,  and  belongs  to  something  else 
than  a  dwelling ;  but  this  is  only  ignorance  of  the  use  of  that 
prominent  featiu"e,  the  tower,  which  here,  as  in  olden  time, 
contains  the  stair,  and  has  a  gallery  at  the  top,  lighted  by  a 
row  of  circular  windows,  affording  a  fine  opportunity  for  views 
of  the  surrounding  landscape  by  day,  or  the  starry  heavens  by 
night.  There  is  something  of  practical  fitness,  too,  in  placing 
the  means  of  mounting  upwards,  in  the  tower  itself;  and  though 
winding  stairs  are  not  quite  so  broad  and  pleasant  as  those 
with  full  tread  and  ample  landings,  yet  they  are  sufficiently  so 
to  satisfy  those  who  prefer  a  little  relish  of  antiquity  to  the  last 
result  of  modern  convenience. 

As  a  marked  defect  in  this  design  was  the  absence  of  all 
veranda,  arcade,  or  covered  walk — without  which  no  country 
house  is  tolerable  in  the  United  States — we  have  added  a 
veranda  in  the  angle  between  the  library  and  drawing-room. 
This  will  be  seen  in  the  elevation  of  that  end  of  the  house,  Fig. 
116.  The  roof  is  supported  on  round  arches,  resting  on  rather 
heavy  columns,  common  in  this  style,  and  the  whole  may  be 
constructed  of  wood — boldly  wrought,  and  painted  and  sanded. 


282 


OOTINTEY  HOUSES. 


[Fig.  116.    Elevation  of  the  End.] 

Accommodation.  The  accommodation  of  this  villa  is  both 
handsome  and  convenient.  A  fine  efiect  will  be  produced,  on 
entering  the  hall,  by  the  vista  through  to  the  bow-window  at 
the  end  of  the  drawing-room,  especially  if  the  latter  be  filled 
with  stained  glass  of  mellow  and  harmonious  colors.  The 
library  is  agi'eeably  placed,  and  might  be  rendered  still  more 
secluded,  by  omitting  the  window  looking  on  the  veranda,  V. 
The  tower,  which  is  on  the  right  of  the  enti'ance  hall,  is  9  feet 
in  the  clear,  inside,  and  communicates  with  a  passage  5  feet 
wide,  opening  into  both  dining-room  and  kitchen.  At  the  end 
of  this  passage  is  the  j^antry.  There  is  evidently  a  want  here 
of  a  scullery  or  back-kitchen,  as  well  as  a  store-room,  both  of 
which  might  be  easily  added,  if  this  side  of  tlie  house  were 
screened  by  plantations. 

The  veranda,  V,  is  11  by  20  feet,  and  the  drawing-room 
opens  upon  it  by  a  glazed  door  or  window  opening  to  the  floor. 

The  plan  of  the  second  floor,  Fig.  117,  we  have  added.  Tlie 
bed-rooms,  as  shown  in  the  elevation,  are  not  of  full  height  (as. 


DESIGNS  FOK  VILLAS   OK  COOTTTKY  HOUSES. 


283 


[Fig.  117.    Second  Floor.] 

perhaps,  they  should  be,  in  a  villa  of  this  size),  but  are  about  5 
feet  at  the  sides,  and  10  feet  in  the  centre — the  gari'et  over 
tliem  being  well  ventilated.  There  are  three  large  bed-rooms 
and  two  small  ones,  and  a  water-closet  (W,  C.)  at  the  end  of 
passage.  In  the  bed-room  over  the  porch  there  are  two  small 
closets  for  shoes,  etc.,  in  the  angles. 


[Fig.  118.    Norman  Doorway.] 

CoNSTKUcnoN.    The  whole  aspect  of  this   design  shows  that 
it  is  to  be  built  of  stone,  or  something  that  will  give  equally 


284  COUNTKT   HOUSES. 

solid  walls.  Any  person  wlio  understands  its  character  would 
no  more  attempt  to  copy  it  in  wood  tliaii  to  make  a  steam- 
engine  of  sugar  candy.  It  does  not,  however,  demand  smooth 
ashlar,  but  will  look  better  if  laid  in  common  quarry -stone — and 
even  if  laid  in  random  courses,  it  will  add  to  the  quaintness  of 
effect.  If  a  soft  freestone  is  at  hand,  the  zigzag  moulding 
which  runs  romid  the  Avindow  dressings  may  be  easily  worke'd 
in  it.  The  character  of  this  moulding  will  be  better  understood 
by  the  elevation  of  the  doorway.  Fig.  118.  Tlie  sashes  should 
be  made  with  diagonal  frames,  and  should  be  hung  with  weights 
in  the  ordinary  manner,  and  they  should  be  fitted  with  inside 
shutter  blinds,  folding  into  boxes  on  each  side.  The  upper  part 
of  the  blind,  at  the  head  or  arch  of  the  window,  may  be 
stationary.  The  most  complete  mode,  however,  which  is  now 
in  use,  is  to  8lide  the  shutters  or  blinds  (parting  in  the  middle), 
with  a  space  between  the  solid  wall  and  the  plaster  wall  of  the 
apartment.  This  puts  them  completely  out  of  the  way,  while 
they  are  brought  into  use,  when  required,  more  readily  than  in 
any  other  mode. 

The  roof  of  this  villa  is  represented  as  covered  with  the 
handsome,  architectural  tiles  now  manufactured  for  this  purpose. 
The  same  efifect  may  be  produced  by  cutting  large  cedar 
shingles  in  diagonal  patterns,  as  showni  in  page  181.  The  roof 
projects  G  inches  at  the  eaves,  with  a  gutter,  supported  on 
small  blocks  or  brackets  of  stone.  Tlic  ])artitions  may  all  be 
of  brick,  which  will  economize  room  in  the  plan — whore  they 
are  8ho^vn  as  if  built  of  stone. 

The  fii"st  story  should  be  13  feet  higli,  to  give  a  proper 
proportion  to  the  rooms.  In  the  angle  where  the  tower  joins 
the  roof,  the  junction  should  be  made  sound  and  Aveather-tight, 


DESIGN    XXIII 

VII, LA    IN    THE    ITAMAN    STVLK 


Fig.   ll'J 


r'liiMiPAi.    Fr.ooK 
Fi.'.  )2() 


n   2.- 


DESIGNS  FOK  VILLAS  OR  COUNTET   HOUSES.  285 

by  having  a  broad  strip  of  copper  built  into  the  wall  of  the 
tower,  and  turned  up  the  roof,  so  as  to  form  a  valley  of  sufficiently 
rapid  descent  to  shed  storms  at  all  seasons. 

All  the  rooms  in  the  interior  of  this  house  should  be 
finished  with  oak  wainscot,  or  wood  grained  to  resemble  it, 
and  the  effect  aimed  at  should  be  something  between  modem 
luxmy  and  the  quaintness  of  the  antique  Norman  architecture. 
Hints  for  interiors  in  this  manner,  will  be  found  in  a  succeeding 
page.  But  only  simple  and  characteristic  ornaments  and 
mouldings  should  be  introduced  in  the  interior  of  this  villa,  as 
its  exterior  indicates  simplicity  rather  than  variety  of  detail. 

Estimate.  The  estimate  for  building  this  house  of  stone, 
when  a  good  quarry,  easily  worked,  is  upon  the  premises,  is 
$7500. 

DESIGN  xxn. — A   Yilla  in  tJie  Italian  Style. 

There  is  a  strong  and  growing  partiality  among  us  for  the 
Italian  style.  Originally  adapted  to  the  manifestation  of  social 
life,  in  a  climate  almost  the  coimtei-part  of  that  of  the  Middle 
and  Southern  portions  of  om'  coimtry — at  least  so  far  as  relates 
to  eight  months  of  the  year,  it  is  made  to  conform  exactly  to 
our  tastes  and  habits,  with,  perhaps,  less  alteration  than  any 
other  style.  Its  broad  roofs,  ample  verandas  and  arcades,  are 
especially  agreeable  in  our  summers  of  dazzling  sunshine,  and 
though  not  so  truly  Northern  as  other  modes  that  permit  a  high 
roof,  still  it  has  much  to  render  it  a  favorite  in  the  Middle  and 
Western  sections  of  om*  Union. 

As  a  rural  style,  expressing  countiy  life,  the  Italian  is  inferior 
to  pointed  and  high-roofed  modes.  If  it  is  not  so  essentially 
country-like  in  character,  it  is  however  remarkable  for  expressing 


286  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

the  elegant  culture  and  variety  of  accomplishment  of  the  retired 
citizen  or  man  of  the  world,  and  as  it  is  capable  of  the  most 
varied  and  iiTegiilar  as  well  as  very  simple  outlines,  it  is  also 
very  significant  of  the  multiform  tastes,  habits,  and  wants  of 
modern  civilization.  On  the  whole,  then,  we  should  say  that 
the  Italian  style  is  one  that  expresses  not  wholly  the  spirit  of 
country  life  nor  of  town  life,  but  something  between  both,  and 
which  is  a  mingling  of  both. 

Tlie  leading  features  of  this  style  are  familiar  to  most  of  oiu* 
readers.  Koofs  rather  flat,  and  projecting  upon  brackets  or 
cantilevers;  windows  of  various  forms,  but  with  massive 
dressings,  frequently  ninning  into  the  round  arch,  when  the 
opening  is  an  important  one  (and  always  permitting  the  use  of 
the  outside  Venetian  blinds);  arcades  supported  on  arches 
or  verandas  with  simple  columns,  and  chimney-tops  of  charac- 
teristic and  tasteful  forms.  Above  all,  when  the  composition 
is  iiTCgular,  rises  the  campanile  or  Italian  tower,  bringing  all 
into  unity,  and  giving  picturesqueness,  or  an  expression  of  power 
and  elevation,  to  the  whole  composition. 

In  designing  this  small  villa  in  the  Italian  style,  om*  object 
was  to  show  as  much  of  the  force  and  spirit  of  this  style  as 
possible,  witliin  a  very  moderate  space,  and  for  a  very  moderate 
cost.  It  would  have  been  far  easier  to  liave  increased  the  effect 
by  adding  more  apartments — for  it  is  one  of  the  merits  of  this 
style  that  it  permits  additions,  wings,  etc.,  with  tlie  greatest 
facility,  and  always  with  increasing  effect. 

We  must  call  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  the  semicircular 
arcade  or  veranda  thrown  out  on  the  drawing-room  or  lawn 
side  of  the  liouse,  which  cond)ines  elegance  witli  comfort,  and 
is  an  agreeable  variation  of  the  common  veranda.    The  \\\\\- 


DESIGNS   FOR   VILLAS   OR  COUNTRY   HOUSES.  287 

dows  of  the  drawing-room  and  library  reach  the  floor,  so  as  to 
afford  an  easy  access  to  this  arcade. 

AccoiviMODATioN.  The  aiTangement  of  this  villa  exhibits  a 
little  contrivance  to  get  the  utmost  from  a  limited  sj)ace.  It 
wiU,  therefere,  need  some  explanation. 

Entering  the  large  door  in  the  tower  or  campanile  which 
forms  the  porcb  (9  feet  square),  see  Fig.  119,  we  come  to  the 
vestibule,  9  by  9  feet.  The  stair,  which  is  placed  here,  com- 
mences at  «,  and,  as  it  rises,  enters  the  tower  (as  shown  in  the 
second-floor  plan).  On  the  right  side  of  the  vestibule  is  a  door 
opening  into  a  handsome  parlor  or  drawing-room,  18  by  24  feet, 
with  a  bay-window  in  characteristic  style. 

Directly  beyond  the  vestibule  is  a  pretty  dining-hall,  16  by 
21  feet.  This  back  hall  will  be  a  very  airy  and  agreeable 
dining  apartment  in  summer,*  and  it  may  be  rendered  essen- 
tially private,  by  closing  the  door  in  the  vestibule,  at  «,  when 
persons  chancing  to  arrive  during  dinner  can  be  sho^Am  into 
the  dining-room,  or  library,  or  to  the  second  story,  without 
passing  through  the  hall.  A  china-closet  and  a  pantry  are 
connected  with  this  dining-room.  We  have  purposely  cut  off 
the  direct  communication  with  the  kitchen,  in  order  that  the 
passage,  c,  should  stop  sounds  and  smells.  But  a  large  closet, 
resembling  a  sideboard,  might  be  built  at  ?»,  with  a  door  at  the 
back,  opening  into  the  kitchen,  through  which  the  dishes  might, 
to  save  trouble,  be  passed  into  the  dining-hall. 

The  library  is  18  feet  square,  and  communicates  with  both 
dining-hall  and  drawing-room. 


*  It  is  supposed  to  be  heated  by  a  fiu-nace  in  winter,  or  a  flue  can  be  introduced 
in  the  wall  between  it  and  the  kitchen,  at  h. 


288 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


Tlie  kitclicn  is  14  bj  16  feet,  Avitli  a  scullery  for  rough  work 
adjoining  it,  and  back  porch  and  closet,  and  pit  for  coals  in  the 
rear. 


[Fig.  121.    Second  Floor.] 

In  the  second-stor}'  plan,  Fig.  121,  we  find  four  bed-rooms  of 
good  size,  with  two  small  ones,  one  of  them  used  as  a  dressing- 
room.  There  is  also  a  bath-room,  with  space  for  a  water-closet 
at  the  end  of  the  entry.  At  «,  a  narrow  flight  of  staii*s  ascends 
to  the  apartment,  9  by  9  feet,  in  the  top  of  the  tower — which 
may  be  a  museum  or  a  prospect  gallery. 

It  would  be  sufficient  for  most  families,  if  there  were  a  cellar 
constnicted  under  all  but  the  main  part  of  the  building.  The 
latter  would  then  only  require  foundation  walls. 

Construction.  "We  have  designed  this  villa  for  wood,  to 
enable  those  who  wish  to  build  a  tasteful  and  picturesque 
dwelling  at  an  economical  price  to  do  so,  in  parts  of  tlie 
coimtry  where  other  materials  are  dear.  But  it  may  be  built 
with  still  better  eflect  of  stone,  or  brick  colored,  or  of  brick 
cemented.     In    the    latter    case,  however,   it  will    require  a 


DESIGNS   FOR   VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY    HOUSES. 


289 


variation  of  the  size  of  the  dining-i'oom,  so  that  there  shall  be 
no  interruption  of  the  wall  of  the  main  body  of  the  house, 
where  it  juts  into  the  library. 

The  first  story  will  be  12  feet  high,  throughout  the  whole  of 
the  first  floor,  including  the  kitchen,  since  the  projection  of  the 
dining-hall  partly  into  the  wings  requires  it.  But  while  the 
chamber  story  in  the  main  building  is  11  feet  high,  in  the 
secondary  building  it  is  only  8  feet.  The  bed-room  over  the 
dining-room  only  runs  to  the  main  platform.  The  bed-rooms 
over  the  kitchen  wings  therefore  are  8  feet  high. 

The  window-dressings  of  a  villa  like  this  may  be  quite  plain, 
especially  if  outside   shutter  blinds  are  used.     But  the  simple 

and   massive    dressings    often    em- 

— ■ _.      J      ployed  in  this  style,  of  which  Fig. 

jljjlj^llllljjgg^^  J     122   will   convey  a  more   accurate 

idea,  are  in  much  better  keeping 
with  the  character  of  the  archi- 
tecture. An  enriched  Italian  win- 
dow-dressing is  shown  in  Fig. 
123.*  If  built  of  wood,  the  exte- 
rior should  be  of  clear  stuff,  hori- 
zontal-boarded, and  finished  in  the 
best  manner. 
'H  B"^     V"         The  roofs   of   Italian  buildings, 

[Fig.  1*2.  Italian  Window— dressing  plain.]  having  but  little  pitch,  are  usually 


*  The  proportions  observed  in  designing  windows  by  Palladio,  and  tlie  best  of  the 
earlier  Italian  architects,  are  as  follows  -.—The  height  of  the  opening  double  that 
of  the  width,  and  the  breadth  of  the  architrave  or  dressing  one  sixth  of  the  width. 
Windows  on  the  second  floor  have  the  same  breadth,  but  less  height. 

19 


290 


COTJNTRY   HOUSES. 


covered  with  tiles  or  metal.  If  heavy  rihs  of  wood  are 
introduced  before  laying  on  the  galvanized  iron  or  zinc,  the 
picturesqucness  will  be  increased,  and  the  effect  produced  which 
is  shoAvn  in  the  elevation. 


[Fig.  123.    Italian  \Vindow — enriched.] 

Estimate.  Supposing  three  rooms  on  the  iii-st,  and  two  on 
the  second  floor  to  have  the  walls  "  hard  finished,"  and  the  rest 
to  be  finished  for  white-washing  or  papering,  this  house  may 
be  built,  here,  of  brick  and  stucco — the  arcade,  bay-windows, 
etc.,  of  wood  painted  and  sanded — for  $4600.  In  the  cheap 
lumber  districts,  it  may  be  sul)stantially  built  of  wood  for  about 
$3800. 

As  furnishing  materials  for  study  of  simple  and  effective 
Italian  composition,  we  give  a  view  (from  Loudon's  Magazine), 
Fig.  124,  of  the  \'illa  of  Mr.  Nesfield,  a  landscape-painter.     It 


DESIGNS   FOR  VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


291 


is  situated  in  the  subui-Ls  of  London,  is  built  of  brick  and 
stucco,  and  though  there  is  a  little  baldness  in  the  details,  the 
general  effect  is  good. 


292  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

DESIGN  xxm. — A  small  Villa  in  the  Classical  Manner. 

As  a  specimen  of  a  cheap  country  house,  producing  a  good 
effect,  we  give  this  design,  which  partakes  of  the  Tuscan 
manner.  It  has  been  built  at  Railway,  New  Jei-sey,  for  L.  B. 
Brown,  Esq.,  from  the  designs  of  Alex.  Davis,  Esq.,  Architect, 
New  York. 

The  exterior  of  this  design  is  characterized  by  symmetry, 
good  proportion,  and  a  certain  chasteness  and  simplicity,  of 
detail  which  we  like  in  a  country  house ;  while  the  whole  mass 
obtains  dignity  from  the  height  given  to  the  central  portion  of 
the  composition.  The  chimneys  are,  perhaps,  a  little  too 
Tuscan  or  classical,  and  not  sufficiently  domestic  for  oiu-  own 
taste. 

In  judging  of  the  arrangement  of  the  interior,  it  must  be 
borne  in  mind  that  the  object  of  the  pei*son  for  whom  this  was 
designed,  was  to  obtain  a  villa-like  effect  at  the  cost  of  a  cottage 
only.  Hence,  while  a  handsome  appearance  is  produced  by 
the  spacious  hall,  and  the  parlor  and  dining-room  connected 
with  it,  the  absence  of  any  apartment  for  books,  and  the  close 
proximity  of  the  kitchen  to  the  dining-room,  indicate  the 
domestic  life  and  conveniences  of  the  cottage,  rather  than  the 
villa. 

The  hall  is  entered  by  the  large  glazed  dooi-s  which  open 
upon  the  veranda;  and  tliis  airy  and  open  hall  may  be  con- 
sidered as  a  principal  apartment  in  summer  In  winter,  these 
glazed  dooi-8  may  be  kept  closed,  and  the  side  entry.  A,  will 
serve  as  an  inclosed  porch  to  the  main  hall. 

In  the  parlor,  a  bay-window,  10  feet  in  the  opening  and 
5   feet  in   depth,   projects   Ixijdly.     The  external  effect  of  this 


DESIGNS  FOR   A-TLLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


293 


[Fig.    125.    Small  Classical  VUla.] 


[Fig.  126.    Principal  Floor.] 


294 


COUNTRY    HOUSES. 


window  is  balanced  by  the  kitchen-porcli,  which  is  open.  The 
kitchen  itself  is  about  12  by  14  feet,  the  pantry  7  feet  square, 
and  the  veranda  9  feet  broad.  The  roof  of  the  house  projects 
3  feet,  and  is  supported  by  the  extended  rafters. 

The  second  story 
of  this  design,  Fig. 
127,  is  so  divided  as  to 
accommodate  a  family 
of  considerable  size, 
as  not  an  inch  has 
been  lost.  There  are, 
it  will  be  seen,  six  bed- 
rooms— though  some  of 
[Fig.  127.  Second  Floor.]  them    are    oiily  large 

enough  for  the  sleeping-rooms  of  children.  Tlie  front  bed-room, 
16  by  17  feet,  has  an  open  fireplace,  and  two  of  the  other  bed- 
rooms have  openings  in  the  flues  for  stoves.*  The  narrow  flight 
of  stairs  in  the  entry  in  this  storj'  leads  to  two  rooms  in  the 
attic,   each    lighted    by  an   octagonal   window   in   the   central 

gable. 

CoNSTKUCTioN.     Tliis  dcsigii  is  one  equally  well  suited  for 

wood,  or  more  solid  materials.     It  has  actually  been  built  at 

Rahway,  of  wood,  and  finished    in   a  consistent   manner,  for 

$2300 — an  unusually  small  smn  for  a  dwelling  of  this  extent  of 

accommodation.     The  first  story  is  12  feet  high,  and  the  posts 

of  tlie  wings  about  18  feet  long. 


*  Tlie  flue  of  the  drawing-room  chimiic}'  is  drawn  over  (in  the  closet  behind  it)  to 
the  central  stack.  The  uiijiarcnt  chimney-top  (see  elevation)  over  that  wing  being 
only  a  ventilator  in  chimney  form. 


DESIGNS   FOR   VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES.  295 

DESIGN  XXIV. — A  Cottage  -  Villa  in  the  Rural  Gothic  Style. 

This  design  shows  tlie  front  elevation  and  plans  of  the 
residence  of  "Wm.  J.  Rotch,  Esq.,  of  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  l)uilt 
fi-om  the  plans  of  Mr.  Davis. 

The  body  of  the  house  is  nearly  square,  and  the  elevation  is 
a  successful  illustration  of  the  manner  in  which  a  form  usually 
uninteresting,  can  be  so  treated  as  to  be  highly  picturesque. 
There  is,  indeed,  a  combination  of  the  aspiring  lines  of  the  roof 
with  the  horizontal  lines  of  the  veranda,  which  expresses 
picturesqueness  and  domesticity  very  successfully.  The  high 
pointed  gable  of  the  central  and  highest  part  of  this  design  has 
a  bold  and  sjsirited  effect,  which  would  be  out  of  keeping  with 
the  cottage-like  modesty  of  the  drooping,  hipped  roof,  were  it 
not  for  the  equally  bold  manner  in  which  the  chimney-tops 
spring  upwards.*  Altogether,  then,  we  should  say  that  the 
character  expressed  by  the  exterior  of  this  design  is  that  of  a 
man  or  family  of  domestic  tastes,  but  with  strong  aspirations 
after  something  higher  than  social  pleasures. 

An  inspection  of  Fig.  129  will  show  the  acconmaodation  of 
this  house.  The  drawing-room  and  dining-room  are  each  18 
by  20  feet,  and  communicate  with  the  fi-ont  hall,  14  by  18 
feet,  by  double  or  sliding  doors,  so  that  these  three  apartments 
may  all  be  thrown  into  one.  The  large  and  deep  bay-windows 
at  the  ends  of  these  apartments  give  them  a  light  and  spacious 
effect,  when  thus  thro^ra  en  suite.  Tlie  front  windows  have 
casement  sashes,  opening  down  to  the  floor  of  the  veranda. 

*  The  parapet  of  this  villa  surrounds  a  narrow  walk  on  the  roof — entered  from 
the  side  of  the  central  ridge — which  commands  a  view  of  the  harbor  of  New 
Bedford. 


296 


aiDNTRY    HOUSES. 


DESIGNS    FOR   VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


297 


In  the  rear  hall  is  the  principal  staircase,  and  in  a  smaller 
entry,  between  this  hall  and  the  kitchen,  is  the  back  stair. 

The  library  is  a  pleasant  and  retired  apartment,  20  by  21 
feet,  exclusive  of  the  deep  alcove,  about  10  feet  square.  The 
kitchen  is  1-t  by  20  feet,  with  a  corresponding  recess,  10  feet 
square  (which  might  be  partitioned  off  for  a  scullery).     In  the 


dining-room  is  a  china-closet.  Between  the  kitchen  and 
dining-room  is  a  pantry.  In  the  kitchen  itself  are  two  closets. 
In  a  space  partitioned  off  from  the  back  porch  is  the  cellar 
stair. 


Construction. 


This   cottage   should   be   built   with    hollow 


298  COUNTRY   irOUSES. 

brick  walls,  plastered  on  the  inside,  and  covered  with  hydraulic 
cement  on  the  outside.  Tlie  ceilings  of  the  bed-rooms  may 
run  partly  into  tlie  roof,  and  are  well  ventilated  by  registers  or 
valves,  near  the  highest  part  of  the  ceiling,  opening  into  a 
space  in  the  apex  of  the  garret  above — the  garret  itself  being 
provided  wnth  openings  or  ventilators,  to  permit  the  escape  of 
warm  air.  Large  gables,  10  feet  broad,  on  the  sides  of  the 
roof,  light  these  bed-rooms  abundantly.  The  verge-board  of 
the  front  gable  is  boldly  carved  in  three-inch  plank.  Tlie 
chinmey-tojis — square,  but  set  diagonally  on  the  base — ai-e 
built  of  common  brick.  The  roof  projects  three  feet  at  the 
eaves. 

Estimate.  The  cost  of  this  residence  in  New  Bedford, 
where  building  is  dearer  than  here,  was  about  $6000. 

DESIGN  XXV. — A  Plain  Timber  Cottage  -  Villa. 

For  this  design,  giving  a  very  convenient  and  agreeable 
residence,  which  luis  been  l)uilt  in  Maine,  in  a  substantial 
manner,  at  a  very  economical  cost,  we  are  indebted  to  Gervase 
Wheeler,  Esq.,  architect,. Philadelphia,  who  has  accompanied  it 
by  the  following  remarks. 

"In  this  country,  and  especially  in  some  districts,  wood  must 
for  many  years  be  relied  upon  as  the  material  for  building.  It 
is  the  existence  of  this  necessity  which  has,  in  fact,  given  birth 
to  a  style  of  erection  wliich  may  be  considered  as  almost 
national;  for  nowhere  in  Europe  will  be  found  the  class  of 
houses  that  aboimds  (and  more  especially  in  the  Xew  England 
states)  in  every  part  of  the  Union. 

And,  whilst  this  material  seems,  from  causes  apparent  to 
every  one,  to  be  thus  imperatively  demanded,  it  becomes  the 


DESIGNS   FOR  VILLAS   OE   COUNTRY  HOUSES.  299 

duty  of  the  architect  to  meet  the  emergencies  of  the  case,  and, 
like  a  true  artist,  to  endeavor  to  extract  beauty  from  the 
elements  given  to  him, — beauty,  too,  the  result,  as  all  true 
architectm-al  beauty  must  be,  of  fitness  and  harmony. 

Attempts  to  imitate  in  wood,  effects  that  can  only  legitimately 
be  produced  in  stone  or  other  material,  may,  for  a  time,  please 
the  vulgar  eye,  but  they  caimot  ultimately  fail  to  be  as 
unsparingly  condemned  as  they  deserve;  and  were  there  not 
some  consolation  in  the  thought,  that  the  paltry  imitations  and 
ridiculous  pretences  disfiguring  so  many  of  our  beautiful  sites, 
cannot,  in  their  frailty,  last  long  enough  to  outlive  the  attacks 
that  the  increase  of  a  purer  taste  and  riper  experience  is 
preparing  for  them,  some  comments  might  seem  necessary 
upon  the  entire  imfitness  of  the  material,  and  the  failures, 
necessarily  the  result,  which  many  recently  erected  wooden 
structui'es  exhibit. 

The  material  is,  itself,  a  beautiful  and  a  manageable  one,  and 
examples  are  not  wanting  to  show  how  desirable  and  how 
pleasing  may  be  the  manner  in  which  a  true  artist  can  use  it. 

There  are  time-honored  buildings  in  England  and  in 
Flanders,  that  have  stood,  and  seem  likely  to  stand,  for 
centuries ;  and,  though  from  local  causes,  these  are  not 
examples  that  I  would  advocate  introducing  here,  still  they 
show  what  may  be  done  with  the  right  spirit  in  Ojuy  place,  and 
are  valuable  as  lessons  in  the  use  of  the  material  to  the 
architect,  who  may  leam  fi-om  them  how  the  mighty  men  of 
old  conquered  their  difficulties,  and  so  gain  encouragement  how 
to  overcome  Ms. 

It  seems  difficult  to  assign  any  particular  style  which,  in  this 
country,  affords  the  best  medium  for  the  use  of  wood,  because 


300 


OOimTRY  HOUSES. 


the  character  of  tlie  building  must  so  much  depend  upon  the 
scenery,  the  requirements  of  the  builder,  and  upon  other  local 
causes. 

Where  a  lii«,di  pitched  roof  is  admissible,  the  style  that  the 
accom])anying  design  exliibits  will,  I  think,  be  found  suital)le. 


This  is  essentially  real.     Its  character  is  given  l)y  simplicity 
and  fitness  of  construction,  and  no  attempt  is  made  with  inch 


DESIGNS  FOB  VILLAS   OE   C0T7NTBY   HOUSES, 


301 


"board  finery,  to  dress  up  and  inake  Gothic  wliat  would  other- 
wise appear  a  very  plain  house. 

The  building  is  slightly  modified  from  one  erected  by  the 
writer  at  Brunswick,  in  Maine,  at  a  cost  not  exceeding  $2800. 
The  size  and  arrangement  of  the  rooms,  the  spacious  hall, 
and  the  picturesque  exterior,  point  it  out  as  the  residence  of  a 
gentleman ;  and  simple  and  inexpensive  as  it  is,  it  really  better 
meets  the  requirements  of  those  who  wish  to  build  viell^  than 
many  buildings  that  have  cost  more  than  twice  the  money. 


[Fig.  131.    Principal  Floor.] 

The  construction  itself,  though  simple,  is  somewhat  peculiar. 
It  is  fraTned,  but  in  such  a  manner  as  that  on  the  exterior  the 
constmction  shows,  and  gives  additional  richness  and  character 
to  the  composition. 

At  the  corners  are  heavy  posts,  roughly  dressed  and  champ- 


302  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

fered,  and  into  them  are  mortised  horizontal  ties,  immediately 
under  the  springing  of  the  roof ;  these,  with  the  posts,  and  the 
studs  and  framing  of  the  roof,  showing  externally. 

Internally,  are  nailed  horizontal  braces,  at  equal  distances 
apart,  stopping  on  the  posts  and  studs  of  the  frame  ;  and  across 
tliese,  the  firring  and  lathing  cross  diagonally  in  different 
directions,  thus  preventing  the  liability  of  injmy  to  the  inside 
plastering  by  shrinking  or  starting  of  the  timbers. 

On  these  horizontal  braces  the  sheathing,  composed  of  plank 
placed  in  a  perpendicular  direction,  is  supported  and  retained 
in  its  place  by  battens  2^  inches  thick,  and  made  with  a  broad 
shoulder.  These  battens  are  pimied  to  the  horizontal  braces, 
confining  the  planks,  but  leaving  spaces  for  shrinking  or 
swelling,  and  thus  preventing  the  necessity  of  a  single  nail 
beinff  driven  through  the  jploMks^  thereby  rendering  their 
splitting  impossible. 


[Fig.  132.    Batten.] 

A  representation  of  the  l)atten  and  mode  of  framing  is  given 
in  the  accompanying  section — B  being  the  batten. 

The  outside  is  painted  with  a  mixture  of  paint  and  fine 
smooth  sand,  laid  on  with  a  wire  brush  (see  p.  188);  a  method 
of  painting  the  writer  has  had  an  opportunity  of  pei*sonally 
testing  din-ing  a  period  of  twelve  years,  and  has  found  it  to  be 
the  most  durable  and  economical  covering  for  outbuildings  that 
he  has  ever  tried. 

The  windows,  doors,  and  ornamental  gables  are  simple  and 


DESIGNS  FOR  VILLAS   OR  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


303 


real.  The  windows  being  made  of  solid  frames,  fom-  inclies  by 
five,  and  champfered,  and  the  doors  framed  and  champfered. 

The  inside  finish  is  of  the  same  real  and  simple  character. 
In  the  hall,  the  joists,  caiTying  the  floor  above,  are  permitted  to 
show;  and  as  they  are  made  in  yellow  pine,  planed,  and  the 
edges  champfered  and  stopped, — the  j)lastering  between  being 
colored  a  rich  blue,  and  the  joists,  cornice,  and  other  wood- 
work being  oiled  and  varnished,  a  rich  and  substantial  effect  is 
obtained,  and  at  a  very  moderate  cost. 

The  exigencies  of  the  proprietor  required  the  two  rooms  on 
the  left  of  the  hall  to  be  divided  by  sliding  doors ;  otherwise,  the 
wi'iter  wished  to  have  had  them  as  one  large  room.  But  the 
severity  of  the  winter's  cold  required  an  aiTangement  by  which 
the  space  to  be  constantly  wanned  could  be  reduced. 


j^j^^ifm^^^mm^m 


[Fig.  133.    Second  Floor.] 

The  plan  of  this  house.  Fig.  131,  affords  a  roomy  entrance- 
hall,  16  by  20  feet,   so  large   as  to  serve  for  a  room ;    an 


304:  COrNTRY  HOUSES. 

inclosed  porch,  produced  by  a  simple  arrangement,  wliich  gives 
ample  recesses,  D,  D,  for  hat-stand  and  coatrstands,  on  either 
side  of  the  entrance  door ;  a  handsome  staircase,  inclosed,  but 
opening  into  the  haU^  whilst  an  outer  door  opens  on  a  terrace 
communicating  with  the  garden. 

Tlie  rooms  are  large,  17  by  20  feet,  and  conveniently  ar- 
ranged. There  is  a  back  stair  at  B — with  ample  store-room, 
china-closet,  etc.,  between  the  dining-room  and  kitchen.  In 
the  second  floor.  Fig.  132,  are  six  excellent  chambers,  with 
suitable  closet  accommodation.  In  the  roof  is  a  space  so  roomy 
and  well  ventilated,  as  to  admit  of  being  divided  into  servants' 
or  occasional  sleeping-rooms,  with  great  ease. 

The  chimneys  are  inside  the  house ;  and  every  precaution 
has  been  taken  by  the  arrangement  of  doors,  etc.,  to  make  the 
inside  as  wai*m  as  possible. 

DESIGN  XXVI. — A  Countft^-Ilouse  in  the  Pointed  Style. 

A  SENSIBLE,  solid.  Unpretending  country  hoyse,  with  an  air 
of  substantial  comfort  and  reiinemcnt,  not  overpowered  by 
architectural  style,  but  indicating  intelligent,  domestic  life  in 
the  country, — such  is  the  character  we  have  endeavored  to 
ex]5ress  in  the  exterior  and  interior  of  this  design.  The  synv- 
metry  and  proportion  which  characterize  the  exterior  express 
the  love  of  balance,  while  the  solidity  of  all  the  omamental 
parts  denotes  the  love  of  the  substantial,  etc.,  which  belong  to 
the  sensible  mind. 

It  will  be  seen  at  a  glance,  by  the  connoisseur,  that  though 
this  design  is  in  the  domestic  Gothic  or  pointed  manner,  yet  it 
is  no  copy  of  any  foreign  cottage  in  this  style.  On  the 
contrary,  every   featm-e  is  suggested    by  the   country  life  of 


i)l:sign   XXIV 

\  VOUNTKY   HOrSE  IN  rilE  rolXTKl' 


Fis-  133. 


>■ 


PRINCIPAL    FLOOR 


p     .)tM 


DESIGNS   FOR   VILLAS    OR   COUNTRY    HOUSES.  ^Of) 

those  who  live  in  residences  of  this  size  in  the  MidtUe  United 
States.  The  broad  and  massive  veranda; — tlie  fnll  second 
story,  overshadowed  by  the  overhanging  eaves — the  steep  roof", 
to  shed  the  snow  and  afford  a"  well-ventilated  attic,  and  the 
tastefid  or  convenient  appendages  of  conservatory  for  plants  on 
one  side  and  kitchen  offices  on  the  other, — these  are  all  expres- 
sive of  the  comparatively  modest  but  cultivated  tastes  and  life 
of  substantial  country  residents  in  the  older  parts  of  tlie 
Northern  States. 

In  a  cottage  or  villa  of  this  style  in  England,  the  veranda 
would  be  useless,  for  the  damp  climate,  so  unlike  om"s,  demands 
sun  and  air  rather  than  shelter  and  shade.  Tlie  front,  there- 
fore, would  be  filled  with  broad  and  large  windows,  and  tlie 
roof  with  small  picturesque  gables,  lighting  bed-rooms  imme- 
diately under  the  roof  The  building  would  take  a  more 
irregular  and  picturesque  form,  but  would  lose  the  simple, 
earnest,  and  local  expression  which  this  has,  as  a  country  house 
for  the  Northern  States. 

In  the  Gothic  villa  abroad,  the  window  is  made  wholly  to 
court  the  sunshine.  Hence,  its  exterior  is  ornamented  with 
tracery,  and  made  beautiful  w^ith  carving.  In  this  country 
house,  the  windows,  in  accordance  with  the  acquirements  of  our 
climate,  are  plain  box-frames,  w^th  rising  sashes  and  outside 
blind  shutters,  as  the  latter  give  us  the  power  t)f  regulating  the 
light  and  coolness  of  our  apartments  in  summer  more  perfectly 
than  any  other  contrivance.  To  put  shutter-blinds  on  the 
outside  of  windows  with  Gothic  tracery  would  be  quite  inap])r()- 
priate,  since  they  would  hide  precisely  that  which  the  architect 
labors  to  render  attractive.  Hence,  in  a  simple  country  house 
in  the  pointed  style,  we  prefer  to  adapt  the  window  openings 

20 


306  COUNTRY    HOUSES. 

at  once  to  the  climate,  by  making  them  plain,  and  covering 
them  with  shutter-blinds.  We  would,  however,  take  away  the 
ordinary  Venetian  expression  of  common  shutter-blinds,  by  mak- 
ing the  slats  much  wider  and  bolder  than  usual,  and  staining  or 
painting  the  entire  shutter  of  a  rich  brown  or  dark  oak-color. 

AccoMMODA-TioN.  The  arrangement  of  this  house,  Fig.  134, 
suggests  the  occupancy  of  a  family,  in  which  the  intellectual 
and  social  nature  are  equally  cultivated,  and  where  there  is  also 
a  love  of  beauty,  but  where  all  is  kept  under  the  dominion  of 
strong  common  sense.  Instead  of  very  large  apartments, 
devoted  to  any  special  purpose  of  display  or  social  enjoyment, 
the  rooms  are  well  apportioned  for  the  enjoyment  of  aU  the 
faculties — with  a  certain  order  and  symmetry  pervading  the 
whole.  Tliere  is,  for  example,  ample  accommodation  for  the 
master  and  mistress  of  the  house  without  going  above  the  first 
story,  since  their  bed-room  is  on  the  principal  floor,  where  also 
are  placed  the  kitchen  ofiices,  pantry,  dining-room,  etc. 

Though  mainly  arranged  for  comfort,  this  i)lan  is  not  with- 
out elegance.  Thus,  the  entrance-hall  being  unoccupied  by 
stairs,  becomes  a  fine  apartment,  and  being  connected  M'ith  a 
library,  of  equal  size,  by  large  sliding  doors,  the  efl:ect  of  this 
suite  of  44  feet,  when  thrown  into  one,  will  be  very -agreeable 
on  entering  the  house.  This  will  be  heightened  by  the  position 
of  the  large  bay-window  at  the  end  of  the  library.  By  this 
window  the  library  will  be  lighted  more  agreeably  than  if  the 
v/alls  on  each  side  were  pierced  with  two  smaller  windows, 
while  the  walls  themselves,  being  left  entire,  an  \ml)ruken 
space  is  aflbrded  on  both  sides  for  books.* 

*  Wc  have  supposed  this  house  to  be  heated  by  one  of  Chilson's  excellent  furnaces, 


DESIGNS   FOR  VILLAS   OB  COUNTRY   HOUSES.  307 

K  it  were  desired  to  add  still  more  to  the  eifect  of  the  rooms 
on  this  first  floor,  it  could  be  easily  done  by  making  sliding 
dooi-s  between  the  hall  and  the  two  rooms  (parlor  and  dining- 
room)  on  each  side  of  it;  these,  when  thro"wn  open,  would 
connect  these  three  apartments,  so  that  a  person  standing  in 
the  centre  of  the  hall  would  look  down  the  hall  and  library,  44 
feet,  and  across  the  parlor  and  dining-room,  48  feet.  But  most 
families  would  prefer  to  connect  the  hall  with  these  two  rooms 
by  doors  of  the  ordinary  size,  as  it  would  give  the  rooms  the 
more  entirely  domestic  and  quiet  expression  of  every-day  life. 

The  staircase  in  this  house  is  placed  in  a  side  hall  or  entry,  7 
feet  wide,  which  connects  with  the  kitchen,  etc. ;  a  very  good 
mode  where  there  is  but  one  staircase  in  a  country  house, 
as,  by  shutting  the  door  between  the  main  hall  and  the  entry, 
the  stairs  are  rendered  private,  or  are  put  out  of  sight.  This 
entry  is  lighted  by  an  end  window  on  the  second  floor. 

The  gi'een-house  communicates  directly  with  the  parlor,  and 
is  supposed  to  have  a  south  aspect — though  an  east  or  west 
exposure  is  found  to  answer  perfectly  well  in  this  climate.  It 
will  be  easily  heated  by  the  same  furnace  which  heats  the 
house — a  10  inch  hot-air  pipe  and  a  large  register,  running 
through  tlie  basement,  and  entering  by  the  floor  or  side  of  the 
green-house.  There  should  be  a  large  door  at  the  outer  end  of 
the  green-house,  for  taking  in  the  plants,  and  a  cistern  beneath 
it,  to  collect  water  from  the  roof  for  watering  them. 

As  the  other  wing,  we  have  the  kitchen,  with  its  closets,  and 
back-kitchen   or  scullery,  etc.      This   may  be   extended  more 

placed  in  the  centre  of  the  basement,  under  the  hall,  and  have  not  therefore  placed 
any  chimneys  in  the  hall  or  library. 


308  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

ilian  24  feet  (the  length  of  the  green-house),  if  desirable— and, 
indeed,  to  tivice  that  size,  if  necessary,— ^\•ith  an  inclosed 
kitchen  yard,  clothes  drying-ground,  etc.,  concealed  by  trees. 

The  porch  of  this  house,  which  projects  12  feet,  breaks  up 
(see  elevation)  the  othersvise  too  long  horizontal  Ime  of  the 
veranda  roof— and  the  novice  ^vill  bear  in  mind,  that  as  the 
spirit  uf  the  Gothic  or  pointed  style  lies  in  the  prevalence  of 
vertical  or  upward  lines,  so  all  long,  unbroken,  horizontal  lines 
of  roof  should  be  avoided. 

This  porch,  being  pierced  with  arches  on  each  side,  opens  on 
a  continuous  veranda,  10  feet  wide  and  80  feet  long,  which 
affords  a  fine  promenade  at  all  seasons— terminating  on  one 
sitle  with  the  green-house ;  and  there  are  few  greater  luxuries 
in  a  cumitry  house  in  an  American  summer,  such  as  it  is  m 
this  latitude,  than  such  a  cool  and  airy  veranda— especially  if 
it  looks  out  upon  our  fine  river  or  lake  scenery.* 

The  second  floor  of  this  house.  Fig.  135,  gives  five  excellent 
bed-rooms,  \N-ith  closets  (marked  C).  Tlic  bed-room  over  the 
library,  14  by  18  feet,  has  attached  to  it  a  dressing-room,  8  by 
10  feet,  which  connnunicates  with  a  bath-room,  A,  containing  a 
water-closet.  This  bath-room  is  also  entered  by  the  door  a, 
from  the  landing  or  the  stair,  and  can  therefore  be  also  used  by 
any  of  the  occupants  of  the  second  story.  The  bed-room  over 
the  hall  is  lighted  by  a  fine  oriel-window,  projecting  over  the 
front  door.  Both  this  and  the  bed-room  over  the  library  are 
heated  by  registers  and  hot-air  pipes  from  the  furnace  in  the 

♦  Any  one  living  on  the  Hudson  inevitably  gets  to  look  upon  river  scenery  as 
an  indispensable  part  of  country  landscape.  This  will  account  for  the  manner  in 
which  gUmpses  of  river  scenery  creep  into  so  many  of  these  sketches  of  houses— 
often,  as  in  this  desiijn,  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  house. 


DESIGNS   FOR   VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


309 


[Fig.  135.    Second  Floor.] 

basement ;  and  if  register  are  also  provided  for  the  other 
bed-rooms  in  this  story,  the  exjjeuse  of  building  fii-eplaces  may 
be  avoided. 

At  5,  in  the  entry,  is  a  flight  of  stairs,  leading  to  servants' 
rooms  in  the  attic. 

Construction.  This  design  demands  solid  walls,  either  of 
stone,  brick  afterwards  colored,  or  brick  and  cement.  It 
could  be  built  as  cheaply  here  of  good  hard  brick  (at  $4  to  $5 
per  1000),  laid  up  in  hollow  walls  (see  page  60),  as  of  wood, 
and  if  colored  with  the  dm-able  cement-wash  described  in 
page  187,  it  would  have  a  very  satisfactory  appearance.  The 
projection  of  the  eaves  (2^  feet),  sheltering  the  walls  so  com- 
pletely, renders  this  also  one  of  the  most  suitable  houses  for 


310 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


outside  stucco,  as  the  walls  will  be  preserved 
from  all  the  perpendicular  di-ip  or  leakage  so  inju- 
rious to  cemented  walls. 

The  veranda  should  be  constructed  in  a  heavy 

and  solid  manner,  either  of  cut-stone,  brick,  or  ot 

solid  wood,  painted  and  sanded,  to  agree  ^nth  the 

t    walls  of  the  house.    The  columns  should   be  16 

-    inches   in   diameter,   and    formed    in   the   simple 

;W)      .    manner  represented  in  the  elevation,  belonging  to 

the   early   pointed    style,   or  with    the   octagonal 

^'"''•JoTulT''"  sliafts  sho^vn  in  Fig.  136. 

There  should  be  no  labels  over  the  windows  or  doors,  except 
as  sliown  over  the  front  door — but  the  window  frames  should 
have  plain,  splayed  jambs,  and  should  be  set  back  a  couple  of 
inches  from  the  outside  face  of  the  wall,  with  outside  shutter- 
blinds  made  to  fit  them. 


V,ri;i-ll..iiril 


DESIGNS   FOR   VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY    HOUSES. 


311 


Fig.  137  shows  part  of  the  verge-board  of  the  ga])le  over  the 
porch,  1  inch  to  a  foot.  This  should  be  carved  out  of  well- 
seasoned  3-inch  plank. 

The  roof  of  this  house,  in  the 
^  elevation,  is  supposed  to  be 
covered  with  diamond  tiles,  a 
row  of  crest-tiles  running  along 
the  ridge  of  the  roof;  but  prime 
cut  shingles  or  slate  would  be 
equally  suitable.  The  chimney- 
tops  in  octagonal  shafts,  are 
built  of  brick.  The  gutter  is 
formed  at  the  outside  of  the 
projecting  eaves,  as  shown  in 
the  section.  Fig.  138,  in  which 
R  is  the  rafter,  G,  the  gutter, 
lined  with  coj^per,  and  B,  the  rafter  bracket. 

The  height  of  the  rooms  in  the  first  story  is  13  feet,  and  that 
in  the  second  story  9  feet.  The  partitions  are  8-inch  brick 
walls,  and  the  floors  are  all  deafened.  If  built  with  hollow 
walls,  the  house  will  need  no  firring,  and  thus,  if  the  roof  is 
tile  or  slate,  will  be  in  a  great  measure  fire-proof — that  is,  if  a 
fii-e  breaks  out  in  one  apartment,  it  will  not  easily  spread  to 
another,  as  there  are  no  wooden  partitions  and  no  hollow 
firring  to  extend  the  combustion  rapidly  from  one  part  of  the 
building  to  another. 

Estimate.  The  cost  of  this  house,  finished  in  a  shnple  and 
appropriate  manner,  would  be  between  $6000  and  $7000. 


[Fig  138.    Gutter  in  Projecting  Eaves.] 


312 


<u(N"ii;y  norsi>5. 


ui<><iGN  x.wii. — .1  small  Country  House  fen'  the  SontJiem  States. 

A  siMi'Li:,  ratkuial,  convonicnt,  and  economical  dwelling  tor 
the  southern  jnirt  dl"  tlic  I'nion,  is  all  that  we  have  aimed  at  in 


'"m^m^-^mm 


)■ 


ihis  dcsiti'ii.     A  iiioditication  <•!'  llu'    W'lictian  mode   lias  Ijcimi 
chosen    tor    the   exterior,   l)ecause    it    alfords,   in    its    hroadly 


DESIGNS   FOR   VIIJ.AS    OR   COUNTRY    HOUSES. 


313 


projecting  roof  aud  long  extended  veranda,  that  ample  shade,  so 
indispensable  to  all  dwellings  in  a  southern  climate. 

There  is  a  double  value  at  the  South,  in  these  wide-spreading 
roofs ;  first,  in  the  greater  coolness  of  the  walls  or  sides  of  a 
building,  protected  by  then*  shade  from  the  direct  rays  of  the 
sun,  all  the  hottest  part  of  the  day ;  and  second,  in  the  good 
effect,  architectm-ally,  produced  by  the  strong  contrasts  of  light 
and  shadow  made  by  such  projections. 


BED    ROOM. 

1  Tj        or         a 

LIBRARY 

ieA20. 


T  r 


S"ro  RE.  R. 
1 0  >:  1 0. 


PAHTRY 
6  X  10 


DirjJNC    ROOM. 
i6    y  24. 


N 


VERATJDA.  10. 


[Fig.  140.    Principal  Floor.] 

AccoioioDATioN.  A  peculiar  feature  in  all  Southern  country 
houses  is  the  position  of  the  kitchen — Avhich  does  not  form 
part  of  the  dwelling,  but  stands  detached  at  a  distance  of  20, 
30,  or  more  yards.  This  kitchen  contains  servants'  bed-rooms 
on  its  second  floor, — only  such  servants  sleeping  in  the  dwelling 
as   are   personal   attendants   on   the   family.      For   this   reason 


814  COUNTOT   HOUSES. 

there  is  not  so  much  room  required  for  servants  in  the  Southern 
country  house  itself — but,  as  many  more  servants  are  kept 
there  than  at  the  North,  a  good  deal  more  accommodation  is 
provided  in  the  detached  kitchen  or  other  negro  houses. 

In  the  plan  of  the  first  floor  of  this  house,  Fig.  140,  we  have 
practised  a  very  simple  contrivance,  by  which  the  size  of  tliis 
floor  is  considerably  increased,  so  that  a  villa-like  accommoda- 
tion is  obtained  in  a  house  only  about  30  by  42  feet  in  the 
clear  measurement.  This  is  done  by  building  the  veranda  of 
the  same  height  as  the  principal  story  (about  12  feet),  and 
inclosing  the  portion  in  the  rear. 

By  this  means  we  get  a  library  16  by  20  feet  (which  would 
otherwise  be  but  16  by  10  feet).  The  letters  a,  5,  show  the 
line  between  the  main  body  of  the  house  and  the  veranda,  and 
a  strong  piece  of  timber  should  cover  the  opening  in  the  wall 
over  the  void  space  here. 

In  the  rear  of  the  hall  is  a  back  porch — which  is  a  part  of 
the  veranda — that  may  be  left  open.  Adjoining  it  is  an  entry 
or  passage-way,  five  feet  wide,  for  the  servants  to  pass  from 
the  dining-room  to  the  detached  kitchen,  without  the  necessity 
of  entering  the  back  porch  or  hall.  Alongside  of  this  entry  is 
a  large  store-room  (which  is  also  part  of  the  inclosed  veranda), 
10  by  10  feet.  This  is  the  larder  and  pastry-room,  under  the 
care  of  the  mistress  of  the  house;  and  adjoining  it  and  the 
dining-room  is  a  pantry  or  china-closet. 

The  dining-room  is  a  spacious  and  airy  apartment,  16  by  24 
feet,  with  a  bay-window  on  the  side,  opening  doMTi  to  the 
veranda.  The  hall  is  10  feet  wide ;  and  the  parlor  and  library, 
on  tlie  opposite  side,  may  comnuniicate  with  it  by  a  large 
sliding  door,  if  preferred.      A  single  fireplace  would  be  sufli- 


DESIGNS   FOB   VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


315 


cient  for  both  these  rooms  at  the  South,  In  some  families,  it 
might  be  desirable  to  make  the  back  apartment  a  bed-room, 
instead  of  a  library. 

"We  have  shown  the  covered  passage  to  the  kitchen,  and  part 
of  the  kitchen  itself,  in  our  sketch  of  the  front  elevation, 
merely  to  convey  an  idea  of  their  effect ;  though  the  position 
of  those  on  the  plan  is  in  the  rear,  and  not  on  the  side  of  the 
house.  This,  however,  is  a  mere  matter  of  locality,  as  the 
kitchen  and  other  outbuildings  will,  of  course,  be  placed  on  the 
side  offering  the  greatest  facilities  for  their  uses,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  keeping  them  most  in  the  background. 


/2x  W. 


1fiX18. 


11  >^'16. 


HALL. 


1SX  1G. 


[Fig.  141.    Second  Floor.] 

The  second  floor.  Fig.  141,  shows  five  good  bed-rooms. 

Every  house  at  the  South  should  have  a  ventilator  on  the 
roof,  connected  with  air-ducts  leading  to  the  cellar.  Tliis 
would  mahitain  a  circulation  from  the  lowest  to  the  hig-hest 
part  of  the  dwelling,  and  prevent  the  accumulation  of  hot  air 
under  the  roof  A  reference  to  our  remarks  on  ventilation  will 
show  how  this  can  be  most  effectually  accomplished. 

Construction.  As  this  is  especially  designed  as  an  economi- 
cal country  house,  the  material  used  in  most  parts  of  the  South 


316 


COU>fTRY    IIUlSKS. 


would  be  wood.  The  roof  should  project  3  feet,  the  windows 
should  all  1)0  ca.senicnt  windows,  with  outside  Venetian  shutter- 
blinds,  and  the  veranda  should  be  10  or  12  feet  wide* 


[Fig.  142.    Exterior  of  Southern  Country  House.] 

Tlie  lii-st  story  is  intended  to  be  12  and  the  second  9  feet  in 
the  clear.  The  chinniey-stacks  are  drawn  over  in  the  garret, 
80  as  to  come  out  on  the  ridge  of  the  roof. 

*  The  floors  of  verandas,  in  this  climate,  should  always,  if  possible,  be  made  of 
BOutJiem  pine,  ollrd,  and  not  jiainted.  The  cITcct  is  oxcollent,  and  tlie  flo<jr  is  niufh 
more  duriiblc  and  satisfactory  Mian  if  made  of  wliito  pini-,  painted. 


X 

>5 

X 

^ 

-<: 

H 

/^ 

I 

«— 1 

H 

CO 

/'. 

^ 

DESIGNS  FOR  VILLAS  OR  COUNTRY  HOUSES.  317 

Estimate.  The  cost  of  this  house  would  vary  from  $2500 
to  $3000,  depending  upon  the  locality  where  it  is  built,  the 
price  of  lumber,  labor,  etc.,  which  varies  largely  at  the  South. 

Yariation.  If  we  suppose  the  body  of  this  house  increased 
in  depth,  so  that  it  is  between  40  and  50  feet  from  the  front  to 
the  rear,  Fig.  142  will  give  a  hint  of  a  simple  variation  in  the 
bracketed  mode,  which  would  have  a  good  effect  for  a  very 
moderate  expenditure. 

DESIGN  XXVIII. — A  Villa  in  tlie  Italian  Style. 

This  beautiful  villa,  the  residence  of  Edward  King,  Esq.,  of 
Newport,  Rhode  Island,  was  constructed  in  1845,  from  the 
designs  of  Mr.  Upjohn,  of  New  York. 

It  is 'one  of  the  most  successful  specimens  of  the  Italian  style 
in  the  United  States,  and  unites  beauty  of  form  and  expression 
with  spacious  accommodation,  in  a  manner  not  often  seen,  and 
which  is  very  creditable  to  Mr.  Upjohn. 

The  fii-st  impression  which  this  viUa  makes  on  the  mind  is, 
that  of  its  being  a  gentleman's  residence.  There  is  dignity, 
refinement,  and  elegance,  about  all  its  leading  features.  It  next 
indicates  varied  enjoyments,  and  a  life  of  refined  leisure — 
especially  abounding,  as  it  does,  with  evidences  of  love  of 
social  pleasures. 

In  a  more  strictly  architectural  sense,  the  exterior  of  this 
villa  is  worthy  of  note,  for  the  liarmony  which  pervades  it. 
Notwithstanding  the  great  variety  of  forms  in  the  windows 
introduced — a  variety  which  denotes  different  uses  in  various 
apartments — the  predominance  of  the  round  arch  in  the 
majority  of  the  leading  apertures,  whether  in  windows,  doors, 


318 


COUNTRY   nOUSES. 


or  verandas,  restores  harmony  throughout  the  whole — while  it 
produces  an  effect,  as  regards  the  details,  quite  different  from 
that  which  results  from  the  simplicity  of  most  facades.  Both 
are  pleasing,  but,  to  a  highly  cultivated  taste,  the  satisfaction 


[Fig.  144.     Principal  Floor.] 

derived  from  harmony  growing  out  of  variety,  is  as  much  greater 
than  that  arising  from  uniformity  and  simplicity,  in  architecture, 
as  in  music,  where  the  first  may  be  illustrated  by  one  of  Beetho- 
ven's symphonies,  and  the  last  by  the  simple  melody  of  a  ballad 


DESIGNS   FOR  VILLAS   OR  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 


319 


The  sky  outline  of  this  villa  has  the  characteristic  irregu- 
larity of  the  Italian  school  of  design,  and  the  grouping  of  the 
whole  is  a  good  study  for  a  young  architect  who  is  embarrassed 
how  to  treat  a  large  square  mass  of  building, — for  the  ground 
plan  is  nearly  square.    The  chimney-tops  and  heavy  cornice, 


[Fig.  145.    Balcony  Window.] 

aU  of  stone,  are  in  excellent  taste,  and  the  arcades  and  verandas 
have  been  introduced  subordinately,  and  yet  so  as  to  greatly 
increase  the  effect. 

Accommodation.    An.  inspection  of  the  plan  of  the  principal 


320 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


¥^ 


floor  will  show  tliat  this  in  a  villa  of  the  firet  class.  On  cu- 
tering  the  hall,  an  arcade,  supported  by  four  columns,  separates 
the  vestibule  or  entrance-hall  from  the  main  hall.  In  the  latter, 
which  is  spacious,  and  lighted  by  a  sky-light  of  colored  glass, 
one  is  struck  by  the  fine  effect  of  the  ample  staircase,  rising  by 
easy  flights,  Avith  broad  landings.  On  the  right  of  the  hall  is  a 
tine  suite  of  rooms — parlor,  drawing-room  and  library;  on  the  left 
are  the  dining-room,  housekeeper's  room 
(with  pantries),  kitchen,  laundry,  etc. 

In  an  entry,  at  the  rear  of  the  main 
hall,  is  placed  the  servants'  staircase. 

"We  have  not  given  the  plan  of  the 
second  floor,  but,  it  will  be  readily 
imagined,  there  is  an  abundance  of 
sleeping  apartments,  with  rooms  for 
domestics  on  the  third  story  of  the 
higher  portions  of  the  building. 

Construction.  This  villa  is  l)uilt, 
throughout,  in  a  very  solid  and  excel- 
lent manner.  Tlie  walls  are  of  brick, 
painted  externally  of  a  light  free- 
stone color,  and  the  window-dressings, 
striug-coui-ses,  cornices,  brackets,  etc., 
are  all  freestone.  The  effect  is  more 
real  and  satisfactory  than  that  of  any 
other  mode  of  building,  except  it  be  of 
solid  stone — and  that  stone  one  of  an 
agreeable  tone  of  color. 

Fig.  145  (to  the  scale  of  -}  of  an  inch 
[Fig.  i4fl.  Daicony-Proflic]     to  a  foot)  shows  tlic  elcvatiou,  and  Fig. 


DESIGNS   FOB  VILLAS   OR  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


321 


[Fig.  147.     Chimney-Top  and  Cornice.] 

146  the  profile,  of  the  handsome  balcony-window  in  the  front 
of  the  house;  Fig.  147  is  the  chimney-top,  with  a  portion  of 
the  roof,  giving  the  cornice  and  heavy  stone  brackets. 


DESIGN  xxrx. — A  Yilla  in  the  Rii/ral  Gothic  Style. 

"We  have  designed  this  villa  to  express  the  life  of  a  family 
of  refined  and  cultivated  taste,  full  of  home  feeling,  love  for  the 
country,  and  enjoyment  of  the  rural  and  beautiful  in  nature — 

21 


322 


COUNTRY    HOUSES. 


and  withal,  a  tnily  American  liome,  in  which  all  is  adapted  to 
the  wants  and  habits  of  life  of  a  family  in  independent 
circumstances. 


"We  leave  it  to  oiir  readers  to  judge  how  much  or  how  little 
we  have  succeeded  in  our  attempt.  Tliey  will  first  observe 
that  the  roof  is  not  so  abstractly  pointed  and  aspiring  as  that  in 


72      -s 


DESIGNS   FOR  VILLAS   OR  COUNTRY   HOUSES.  323 

Design  XXni.,  neither  is  it  so  flat  and  reasonably  sufficient  as 
in  Design  XXII.,  but  moderately  bigh,  to  manifest  the  Northern 
climate,  and  broad,  as  if  to  cover,  overshadow,  and  protect  all 
beneath  it.  The  enriched  windows,  of  different  forms,  yet  of 
the  same  stjde — the  ornamented  gables  and  chimney-tops — all 
indicate  a  love  of  refined  and  artistic  forais ;  while  their  variety 
and  position  show  the  various  uses  and  enjoyments  pertaining 
to  the  apartments  '^dthin.  When  we  notice,  also,  the  conser- 
vatory, extending  itself  on  one  side,  and  the  kitchen  on  the 
other  with  a  long  veranda  in  the  rear ;  it  is  easy  to  see  that  this 
design  indicates  the  residence  of  a  family  thoroughly  at  home 
in  the  country,  and  understanding  how  best  to  enjoy  it 

By  comparing  this  Design  with  Design  XXII.,  om'  readers 
will,  perhaps,  better  understand  what  we  mean  by  the  expres- 
sion of  domestic  feeling  in  a  house.  However  well  the  latter 
Design  may  satisfy  our  judgment,  and  impress  us  with  so  much 
of  beauty  as  lies  in  abstract  symmetiy  and  proportion,  it  stops 
there.  The  dwelling  before  us,  on  the  contrary,  manifests  in 
every  part  the  presence  of  cultivated  and  deep  domestic 
sympathies ;  in  that  lies  its  chiefest  charm, — and  we  should 
add  that  in  that,  also,  lies  the  great  beauty  of  this  style  for 
country  residences. 

It  will  be  seen,  by  comparing  the  elevation  and  plan,  that  this 
villa  is  intended  for  one  of  those  sites,  very  common  in  this 
part  of  the  country,  where  the  entrance  is  on  one  side,  while 
the  most  agreeable  landscape  view  is  on  the  other.  Hence, 
the  two  finest  apartments  and  the  veranda  (which  pleasantly 
overshadows  them)  are  on  the  side  of  the  house  opposite  to  the 
porch — exactly  the  reverse  of  the  arrangement  in  Design  XXV. 
The  elevation  of  the  opposite  side  of  the  house  may  show  two 


324  COUNTRY    HOUSES. 

small  gables,  or  a  single  large  one,  breaking  the  otherwise 
horizontal  line  of  the  eaves.  The  veranda  may  resemble  that 
in  Design  XXX.,  omitting  the  Tudor-flower  ornament  on  the 
top  of  the  cornice. 

"When  window  frames  are  decorated  with  tracery  and  labels,  as 
in  the  present  case,  it  should  be  remembered  that  the  shutters 
or  shutter-blinds  must  be  placed  on  the  in&ide,  or  the  beauty 
of  detail,  which  has  cost  so  much  labor,  will  be  thrown  away. 

Accommodation.  The  plan  of  this  house  is  very  simple,  and 
almost  explains  itself,  by  a  reference  to  Fig.  149.  In  the 
entrance-hall  (16  by  18  feet),  a  good  effect  may  be  produced, 
by  building  the  staircase  of  oak,  rather  massively  \>Tought. 
On  the  right  is  a  pretty  little  boudoir,  or  ladies'  morning-room, 
which  should  be  fitted  up  in  a  delicate  and  tastefid  manner, 
with  chintz  furniture,  the  walls  papered  with  chaste  Gothic 
or  Elizabethan  patterns,  or  ornamented  with  small  and  a])pro- 
priate  pictures  or  prints.  Or,  if  the  ladies  decline  this  apait- 
ment,  we  shall  offer  it  as  the  office  or  sanctum  of  the  master 
of  tlie  house,  into  which  strangers,  coming  on  business  with 
him,  may  be  shown.  In  this  case,  it  will  be  fitted  up  in  a  very 
diflerent  and  much  plainer  manner — with  a  secretary,  writing- 
tablo,  bookcase,  and  iron  safe  built  in  the  wall. 

llic  drawing-room  and  dining-room,  both  spacious  apart- 
ments, are  arranged,  en  suite,  with  sliding  doors.  The  dining- 
room  is  advantageously  placed,  ^ilh  respect  to  the  pantry, 
and  tlie  entry  separated  from  the  main  liull  which  leads  to 
the  kitchen.  In  this  entry  is  the  servants'  staircase,  and  a 
water-closet,  ("W.  C.)  The  kitchen  has  a  back  porch  and 
stullery,  and  may  be  extended  to  suit  the  wants  of  the  family. 

Tlie  library,   which    will    be   the   most   cosy   and   home-like 


DESIGNS   FOR   VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES.  325 

room,  and  which  will  probably  be  the  sitting-room  of  the  family, 
is  an  apartment  of  agreeable  size  and  proportion;  its  beauty 
being  enhanced  by  the  large  bay-window  which  lights  it.  The 
green-house  (supposed  to  have  a  southern  exposure)  communi- 
cates both  with  this  and  the  drawing-room — a  walk  being 
continued  all  round  it.  If  the  house  is  heated  by  a  furnace,  a 
large  register  will  also  heat  the  green-house ;  but  if  not,  then  a 
small  furnace  should  be  placed  in  a  cellar  made  under  the 
green-house,  the  flue  of  which  may  be  carried  (with  a  rise  of  a 
couple  of  feet  only,  if  needful)  into  the  bottom  of  the  chimney- 
stack  belonging  to  the  library.  By  placing  such  a  furnace — or 
one  of  the  Boston  ventilating  stoves* — in  a  large  air-chamber 
(about  8  feet  square),  built  of  brick,  mider  the  floor  of  the  green- 
house, bringing  in  cold  air  to  the  bottom  of  this  chamber,  and 
allowing  it  to  escape,  when  heated,  into  the  green-house  above, 
this  wing  could  be  heated  all  winter  with  a  couple  of  tons  of 
anthracite. 

Let  us  now  ascend  to  the  second  floor.  Fig.  150.  Here  we 
have  five  bed-rooms.  Two  of  these  have  well-lighted  dressing- 
rooms  attached,  either  of  which  may  have  a  couch  or  divan, 
capable  of  being  turned  into  a  bed,  whenever  the  hospitable 
inmates  of  the  house  find  it  needful  to  stretch  a  point  to 
accommodate  more  than  the  usual  number  of  guests.  The 
bed-room  (11  by  16)  over  the  porch,  containing  the  handsome 
oriel-window  (which  may  be  called  the  "oriel  room"),  would 
make  a  charming  boudoir,  if  the  gentleman  takes  it  into  his 
head  to  appropriate  the  apartment  do^vn  stairs  as  an  office. 

*  To  be  had  at  Chilson  &  Co.'s,  351  Broadway,  New  York,  and  31  Blackstone- 
Btreet,  Boetoa. 


326 


COUNTBY   HOUSES. 


A^ 


[Fig.  150.    Second  Floor.] 

The  bed-room,  12  by  21  feet,  lias  beside  it  a  bath  and 
water-closet,  conirauuicating  with  the  maiii  entry,  for  general 
access.  The  waste  and  supply  pipes  for  the  bath-room  are 
carried  through  the  wall  of  this  story,  and  descend  through 
the  pantry  of  the  story  below. 

Over  the  back  staii*s  is  anotlier  flight  leading  to  thi-ee  or  four 
good  servants'  rooms,  finished  in  the  garret,  and  lighted  by 
windows  in  the  gables. 

There  may  be  a  cellar  under  the  whole  house — reached 
from  the  first  story  by  a  descending  flight  of  steps  under  the 
back  stairs. 

CoNSTEUCTioN.  A  villa  as  much  enriched  in  the  details  as 
this,  and  of  this  style  of  architecture,  should  always  be  built  of 
solid  materials.  Tlie  most  harmonious  effect,  when  expense  is 
but  little  regarded,  would  be  produced  by  constructing  it  of 
tlie  light  brown  sand-stone,  now  so  much  used  in  New  York. 
The  exterior  effect  would  ])e  as  good,  and,  though  not  so  real, 


DESIGNS  FOR  VILLAS   OR  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


327 


yet  the  warmth  and  comfort  would  be  even  greater,  if  built  of 
rough  brick  covered  with  cement  or  stucco  on  the  outside,  and 
colored  of  a  mellow,  warm  drab  or  light  freestone  hue.  But 
the  cheapest  mode,  and  one  very  satisfactory,  would  be  to 
build  the  walls  of  good  hard  brick,  and  color  them  externally 
of  an  agreeable  shade.  The  walls  of  the  main  building  should 
be  hollow  walls  (or  solid  walls,  a  foot  thick),  fii-red  off  for 
plastering  on  the  inside.     The  kitchen  walls  need  not  be  more 

/^!  than  8  inches  thick. 

'M^^^  Tlie  windows  have  labels  or  lintels  of  cut  stone 
^f^m  over  the  top  of  the  frames. 

^   ,.,  The  section  of  these  labels  is  shown  in  Fie;.  151, 

[Fig.  1d1.  o  j 

Section  of  Label.]  to  the  scale  of  half  an  inch  to  the  foot. 

The  elevation  of  one  of 
the  windows,  to  the  scale  of 
\  inch  to  the  foot,  is  shown 
in  152  ;  below  it  is  the  plan 
or  section  through  the  wall, 
A,  B.  This  is  intended  for 
a  casement  window — but  if 
inside  shutter-blinds  are  pre- 
ferred, then  rising  sashes  may 
be  used.  In  this  case,  there 
should  be  a  broad  stUe  left 
in  the  centre,  a  little  wider 
than  the  mullion  which  shows 
in  the  middle  of  the  window 


^S> 


mJ^ 


^1        ^    B 


A'^mw 


Vp,M^ 


[Fig.  152.    Elevation  and  Plan  of  Window.] 

frame. 

Fig.  153  is  the  elevation  of  the   bay-window,  with  balcony 
over  it,  to  the  scale  of  \  of  an  inch  to  the  foot.    The  verge- 


328 


COUNTRY    HOUSES. 


[Fig. 


VtTtfi'-Honrd.' 


153.    The  Bay- Window. 

board  of  the  small  gable  over 
this  balcony  is  the  same  as  that 
shown  in  page  311.  A  part  of 
the  verge-board  of  the  gable 
over  the  porch,  may  be  seen 
more  in  detail  in  Fig.  154.  All 
these  verge-boards  should  be 
carved  out  of  soniid  2^-  or  3 
inch  pine  plank,  so  as  to  have  a 
real  and  solid  aj)pearance,  very 
•  lill'erent  from  the  thin-board 
imitations  of  them  frequently 
seen  in  flimsy  ornamental  cot- 
tages.   The  roof  should  project 


DESIGNS    FOR   Vn.LAS   OR   COUNTRY    HOUSES. 


329 


2  feet,  and  the  gutter  should  be  formed  at  the  eaves,  as  shown 
on  page  311. 

The  chimney-tops  of  this  design  should  be  formed  of  moulded 
brick,  if  such  can  be  obtained.    If  not,  chimney-toj)s  of  the 


(Co» 


06X><3 

w 


[Fig.  155.    Chimney-Tops.] 

Garnkirk  fire-clay,  of  the  patterns  shown  in  Fig.  155,  may  be 
had  of  Jas.  Lee  &  Co.,  New  York  or  Boston. 

Estimate.  Built  in  brick,  or  brick  and  cement,  in  a  sub- 
stantial manner,  with  labels  of  cut  stone,  this  villa  would 
cost  about  $7,500.  The  cost  of  the  gi-een-house,  which  is 
included,  would  be  about  $300. 

DESIGN  XXX. — Ail  Amefico/n  Country  House  of  the  jb'st  class. 
This  design   has  been   prepared   for  this  work  by  Gervase 


330  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

Wheeler,  Esq.,  of  Pliiliulclphia,  an  architect  of  reputation. 
Mr.  Wheeler's  compositions  show  artistic  ability,  combined 
with  an  excellent  knowledge  of  all  tliat  belongs  to  domestic 
life  in  its  best  development.  The  plan  of  this  Design  is 
worthy  of  careful  study,  as  combining  much  dignity  and 
breadth  upon  the  ground,  with  that  simplicity  and  convenience 
which  should  always  characterize  the  best  country  house. 

The  complete  arrangement  of  the  kitchen  offices  shows  Mr. 
Wheeler's  English  education — for  this,  one  of  the  strongest 
points  in  English  domestic  architectm-e,  is  one  of  the  weakest 
and  least  understood,  because  perhaps,  as  yet,  least  appreciated 
in  the  United  States. 

The  following  are  Mr.  Wheeler's  remarks,  explanatory  of 
this  design. 

"In  this  country,  there  is  no  lack  of  examples  of  houses, 
either  of  an  ornate  and  expensive  character,  or  partaking  of 
the  nature  of  the  smaller  cottage  residence;  but  I  do  not 
remember  to  have  seen  in  actual  execution  or  in  published 
American  books  any  satisfactory  specimen  of  a  simple  country 
house  of  the  first  class; — a  house  suitable  as  the  abode  of  a 
gentleman,  and  adequate,  in  its  domestic  accommodation,  for 
the  purposes  of  a  gentleman's  notions  of  hospitality,  and  for  the 
comforts  essential  to  the  gratification  of  a  gentleman's  taste. 

Those  houses  in  which  any  pretension  has  been  made  to 
meet  these  demands  have  usually  been  on  so  expensive  a  scale 
(from  $15,000  to  $30,000),  as  to  place  their  erection  beyond 
the  reach  of  that  class  which  every  day  is  becoming  the  one 
for  which  an  architect's  energies  and  skill  will  be  most  con- 
stantly called  into  play. 

It  seems  to  me  that  these  next  ten  years  will  witness  so 


DESIGNS    FOR   VILLAS   OE   COimTEY   HOUSES.  331 

increasing  a  demand  for  a  species  of  house  not  yet,  I  think, 
attained,  that  it  is  quite  worth  while  for  the  profession  to  study 
how  to  meet  it,  and  as  an  endeavor  on  my  part  to  comply  with 
the  request  of  "Mr.  Downing  to  give  the  result  of  my  own 
attempts  to  supply  this  demand,  I  present  the  accompanying 
design  to  the  consideration  of  those  who  are  in  quest  of  a 
house  suited  in  its  arrangements,  economical  construction,  and 
picturesque  exterior,  to  the  wants  of  the  present  day. 

Without  occupying  sj^ace  by  further  preliminary  remarks,  I 
will  at  once  proceed  to  explain  the  design  in  the  order  in  which 
the  cuts  representing  its  featm'es  naturally  present  themselves. 

1st.  The  ground  plan,  Fig.  15Y.  This  plan  represents  so 
simple  an  arrangement  of  the  rooms  and  passages,  as  to  seem 
to  need  but  little  explanation. 

A  caiTiage-porch  at  the  end  of  the  main  portion  of  the  front, 
gives  convenient  entrance  to  the  principal  hall,  which  is  12 
feet  wide,  and  terminates  in  an  octagonal  bay  containing  the 
grand  stairway. 

On  the  right  of  this  entrance-hall  is  an  inner  hall  or  gallery, 
leading  to  the  various  family  rooms,  consisting  of  a  dining-room 
23  feet  by  18,  a  boudoir  or  lady's  room,  18  by  12,  a  drawing- 
room,  18  by  32,  and  a  library,  18  by  16.  This  last  room  is  so 
situated  as  to  be  retired,  and  yet  easy  of  access,  and  might,  if 
necessary,  be  enlarged ;  but  as  the  gallery  or  inner  hall  would 
afford  ample  accommodation  for  bookcases,  cabinets,  and 
pictm'es,  its  dimensions,  as  here  given,  will,  in  most  cases,  be 
found  sufficient  for  its  owner. 

On  the  left  of  the  hall  is  the  passage  leading  fi-om  the  kitchen 
and  offices,  forming  means  of  access  for  the  servants  to  the 
front  door,  whilst  across  the  end  of  the  hall,  and  under  the 


332 


OOTJNTKY   HOUSES. 


staircase  is  an  open  screen,  «,  filled  with  tracery  and  stained 
glass,  behind  which  is  the  passage  fi'om  the  pantiy  or  waiter's 


room  to  the  dining-room,  and  connected  with  which  would  also 
be  the  hat  and  coat  closets,  etc.,  for  the  family  and  for  visitors. 

The  grand  staircase  is  of  a  heavy  massive   character  that 
would  be  very  effective,  and  is  thoroughly  lighted  and  venti- 


DESIGNS   FOR   VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


333 


lated :  the  latter  object  being  secured  by  a  large  open  lantern  or 
cupola  on  the  roof  (see  elevation),  in  which  would  be  placed 
one  of  'Emerson's  ventilators,'  now  a  sine  qua  non  in  all 
well-constructed  residences. 

The  rooms  are  all  well  proportioned  and  conveniently  dis- 
posed. The  dining-room  and  boudoir  open  on  a  large  veranda, 
which  projects  15  feet  east,  and  a  similar  veranda,  14  feet  wide, 
is  provided  on  the  south  for  the  drawing-room  and  library. 

The  domestic  arrangements, — kitchen  offices,  etc.,  will  be 
seen,  by  reference  to  the  plan,  which  is  given  separately. 

These  must  necessarily  be  somewhat  modified  by  peculiari- 
ties of  site,  convenience  of  access  from  public  roads,  etc ;   but 


[Fig.  158.     Kitchen  Offices.] 

the  plan  here  shown.  Fig.  158,  which  is  supposed  to  form  a 
separate  wing,  joined  to  the  extreme  hall.  Fig.  157,  is  one 
which  has  some  advantages,  which  I  will  proceed  to  exjslain. 
A  waiter's  pantry  communicates,  by  means  of  the  passage 
under  the  stairs,  before  described,  with  the  dining-room.  This 
pantry  should  be  filled  with  shelves,  closets,  and  other  con- 
veniences for  the  keeping  of  the  glass  and  china  in  daily  use. 


334  CX)XINTRY   HOUSES. 

whilst  a  fire-proof  safe  could  be  built  into  the  wall  for  the  safe 
deposit  of  plate  and  such  articles  of  value  as  were  only 
occasionally  required. 

A  large  store-room  communicates  also  with  the  pantry,  and 
adjoining  it  is  a  serving-room,  a  long  apartment,  containing  a 
dresser  or  table,  J,  upon  which  the  various  dishes  would  be 
deposited,  previous  to  being  brought  into  the  dining-room. 

The  kitchen,  which  is  large,  has  in  its  rear  the  servants'  hall, 
a  pleasant  and  airy  apartment;  and  on  one  side  is  a  large 
closet,  for  the  use  of  the  cook,  a  back  and  cellar  staircase,  and 
the  passage  to  the  entrance-hall,  whilst  on  the  other  are  a 
laundry,  a  larder,  and  a  scullery,  and  for  each  of  which  an 
outer  door  affords  means  of  communication  through  a  porch  to 
the  yard. 

These  domestic  arrangements,  usually,  are  not  sufficiently 
considered  in  country  houses;  but  I  have  always  found  an 
architect  is  repaid  for  trouble  expended  in  conveniently  dis- 
posing their  very  essential  accommodation. 

The  chamber  plan  presents,  in  all,  seven  large  chambers 
on  the  principal  floor,  two  of  which  might  be  used,  however, 
exclusively  as  dressing-rooms ;  and  the  closets  adjoining  the 
chambers  over  the  porch  and  library  are  each  so  large  and 
well  lighted  as  to  permit  of  their  also  being  occupied  as 
dressinjT-rooms  for  the  bed-rooms  with  which  they  connect. 
In  the  floor  over  the  offices  are  five  servants'  chambei-s,  bath- 
rooms, water-closets,  etc. ;  and  on  tlie  attic  floor,  by  retaining 
the  partition  as  below,  and  making  another  in  the  centre  of  the 
house,  so  as  to  form  a  passage  3  or  4  feet  wide,  no  less  tlian 
ten  additional  chambci-s,  each  well  lighted  and  ventilated,  can 
be  obtained,  thus  making  in  all,  the  large  number  of  twenty-two 


DESIGNS   FOR  VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


335 


chambers,  a  liberality  of  accommodation  wbicli  the  simplicity 
and  economy  of  the  arrangements  would  at  first  sight  hardly 
seem  capable  of  afibrding. 


The  inside  decoration  should  be  simple,  but  real ;  stained 
glass,  of  that  quiet  tone  of  color  which  true   artists   are  just 


330  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

beginning  to  find  suitable  to  domestic  purposes,  and  of  simple 
design,  should  fill  the  windows, — if  not  all,  certainly  those  of 
the  halls,  staircase,  and  library;  and  the  painting  should  also 
be  toned  down  to  those  quiet  tender  hues  that  never  tire  and 
always  please. 

The  ceiling  of  the  hall  or  gallery  should  be  panelled,  with 
heavy  cross-beams  and  corbelled  supports,  and  decorated  with 
shields  and  other  appropriate  ornaments ;  and  the  walls,  filled 
with  bookcases  and  cabinets,  with  recesses  here  and  there  for 
family  pictures  or  honored  busts,  would  easily  afiford  opportu- 
nities for  the  exercise  of  correct  taste  and  refined  judgment  in 
decoration. 

The  other  rooms  might  be  decorated  in  various  manners, 
and  I  would  suggest  a  method  I  have  had  opportunities  of 
trying,  and  always  with  satisfaction. 

It  consists  in  using  a  jiaper  of  one  uniform  color  upon  the 
walls,  which,  by  means  of  strips  of  other  harmonious  or 
contrasted  colore  thereon,  cut  in  such  forms  as  the  design 
requires,  will  produce  an  eflf'ect  equal  to  that  which  any 
Polychromatic  artist  can  secure,  and  at  one-fifth  the  cost.  This 
material,  called  decorative  paper,  is  prepared  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  permit  of  cleansing,  and  can  readily  be  procured.  A 
room  24  by  18  feet  has  just  been  finished  in  the  manner 
suggested,  by  Howell  and  Co.,  of  Philadelphia,  for  $16,  and 
for  brilliancy  of  color,  novelty,  and  cheerfulness  of  eflfect,  is 
equal  to  any  painting  I  have  ever  seen. 

Tliis  is  so  superior  a  method  of  finishing  a  room  to  the  cold, 
white,  'hard-finish'  usually  seen,  that,  though  I  do  not  pretend  to 
recommend  it  as  a  substitute  for  decorative  wall  painting,  I  think 
it  a  very  desirable  embellishment  in  an  inexpensive  house. 


DESIGNS   FOR   VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY    HOUSES.  337 

The  exterior  is  of  the  simplest  possible  character,  depending 
for  its  effect  entirely  upon  the  harmony  and  congruity  of  its 
parts,  and  its  breadth  and  simplicity  of  outline. 

1^0  ornamental  decoration  is  attempted  that  is  not  essential 
to  the  expression  of  the  design,  and  the  whole  is  of  that  subdued, 
unpretending,  but  substantial  character  which  I  think  a  country 
house  should  generally  possess. 

The  material  might  vary  in  accordance  with  the  various 
circumstances  affecting  its  location ;  and  there  is  no  part  of  it 
which  would  prevent  the  use  of  any  building  material  which 
the  country  affords. 

It  might  be  entirely  of  stone  or  of  brick,  with  or  without 
stone  dressings ;  and  the  masonry,  if  of  stone,  will  be  far  more 
effective  and  artistic,  if  treated  in  the  simplest  and  most  natural 
maimer. 

Stone,  laid  in  its  natm-al  bed,  as  it  comes  from  the  quarry, 
with  rough,  hammer-dressed  blocks  of  somewhat  more  regular 
form  and  size  at  the  angles  of  the  building  and  round  the 
apertures  for  doors  and  windows,  would  produce  a  far  more 
pleasing  effect  than  expensively  cut  work  and  regular  masonry, 
and  would  be  far  more  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  the 
style. 

The  style  chosen  is  one  which,  without  assuming  it  to  be 
solely  adapted  to  the  American  country  house,  or,  indeed, 
suitable  in  every  instance,  I  conceive  to  be  so  economical,  and 
possessing  so  many  advantages  over  the  Italian  or  other  usually 
recognized  types  of  modem  buildings,  that  I  do  not  hesitate 
to  recommend  its  adoption  in  every  case  where  economy  and 
simplicity  have  to  be  mainly  consulted. 

The  high  roof,  simple,  ornamental  construction,  and  reality 

22 


838  COUNTKY   HOUSES. 

of  its  nature,  render  it  peculiarly  suitable  for  adoption  by  the 
generality  of  those  who  build;  and  I  very  much  question 
whether  any  other  internal  arrangement  or  expression  of  style 
could  be  found  which  would  afford  the  same  ample  accommo- 
dation at  so  small  a  cost  as  this. 

Tliere  are  other  styles  possessing  elements  of  gi-eat  beauty, 
and  which  may  be  used  with  equal  or  greater  advantage  in 
some  cases ;  but  as  affording  the  most  characteristic  expression 
at  the  least  possible  cost,  simplicity  of  arrangement  of  parts 
without  sameness,  and  freedom  from  decoration  without  pov- 
erty, I  think  that  which  this  design  exhibits,  and  which, 
without  being  a  copy  of  any  one  of  the  well-known  Tudor 
or  Elizabethan  types,  has  as  distinct  a  character  as  they  have, 
is  one  which  may  be  adopted  with  propriety  in  the  domestic 
architecture  of  this  country.  I  therefore  offer  to  the  considera- 
tion of  those  interested  in  its  examination  this  study  of  an 
'  American  family  country  house.' " 

Estimate.    Mr.  Wheeler's  estimate  for  this  design  is  $13,000. 

DESIGN  XXXI. — A  Villa  in  tlie  Pointed  Stijle. 

This  design,  wliich  is  an  excellent  example  of  the  adap- 
tation of  the  latest  or  perpendicular  Gothic  to  the  wants  of 
our  villa  life,  we  owe  to  the  kindness  of  Alexander  J,  Davis, 
Esq.,  of  New  York,  whose  works  are  so  well  known  in  all 
parts  of  the  country  as  to  require  no  commendation  at  our 
hands. 

The  elevation  shown  in  Design  XXXI.  unites,  in  no  ordinary 
degree,  symmetry  and  fine  proportion  with  an  expression  of 
dignity  and  elegance.     The  greater  height  to  which  the  roof  of 


'/?; 


DESIGNS   FOR  VILLAS  OR  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


339 


the  central  part  of  the  building  is  carried,  gives  boldness  and 
picturesqueness  to  the  design,  which  would  appear  more  fully 
in  a  perspective  view  than  in  an  elevation. 

The  exterior  is  strongly  marked  in  style,  and  is  therefore 
likely  to  please  those  who  value  accurate  and  elaborate  artistic 


[Rg.  161.    Principal  Floor.] 


efiect.     Thus,  the  cornice  is  decorated  with  battlements  (imper- 
fectly shown  in  the  engraving),  the  small  gables  with  crockets, 
and  the  parapet  of  the  veranda  with  the  Tudor-flower. 
In  this  veranda,  and  in  the  arrangement  of  the  principal 


340  OOCNTRY  HOUSES. 

floor,  the  architect  has  wisely  departed  from  all  foreign 
examples,  and  has  adapted  the  style  to  our  climate,  which 
requires  shade  and  abmidant  ventilation,  rather  than  apartments 
seeking  to  catch  every  ray  of  sun  by  their  wide  widows  and 
externally  uncovered  walls. 

A  villa  like  this  should  have  no  common-place,  contracted, 
or  mean  site.  It  should  stand  on  a  commanding  locality, 
backed  by  fine  wood,  and  overlooking  a  fine  reach  of  pictur- 
e.!^que  but  cultivated  landscape.  "We  say  cultivated — for  the 
hiojhly  architectural  character  of  the  exterior  would  be  in 
])etter  keeping  with  well-kept  park  or  pleasure-ground  scener} 
than  with  wild  and  rude  landscai)e. 

Accommodation.  The  interior  of  this  villa,  looking  at  the 
plan  of  the  principal  floor.  Fig.  161,  is  not  less  remarkable  for 
elegance  of  effect  than  the  exterior.  Indeed,  standing  in  the 
middle  of  the  hall,  almost  the  whole  of  this  floor  may  be  seen  at 
a  glance,  by  throwing  open  the  large  sliding  doors  which 
connect  it  with  the  three  principal  apartments — an  arrange- 
ment as  agreeable  and  satisfactory  to  those  who  entertain  much 
and  are  fond  of  society  in  their  country  homes,  as  it  would  be 
displeasing  and  imsatisfactory  to  those  who  prefer  a  retired 
and  quiet  life. 

No  one,  however,  can  deny  that  a  spacious  and  striking 
eftect  is  produced  by  the  arrangement  of  the  rooms.  Tlie 
large  and  deep  bays  at  the  end  of  the  library  and  drawing-room 
would,  perhaps,  give  too  powerful  a  light,  were  it  not  that  the 
front  windows  are  wholly,  and  the  bays  in  part,  shaded  by  the 
veranda. 

The  little  spaces,  A,  B,  between  the  rooms,  are  small 
passages,  serving  as  private  communications   from  one  apart- 


DESIGNS   FOR  VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


341 


ment  to  the  other.  They  should  be  finished  with  arched 
openings  or  doorways,  which  may  be  himg  with  heavy  cuitains 
instead  of  doors,  and  would  have  a  very  pretty  efiect. 

In  the  dining-room  there  is  a  recess  opposite  the  fireplace, 
for  the  sideboard.  D,  is  the  passage  for  the  back  staii',  behind 
which  is  the  butler's  pantry.  C,  is  the  principal  staircase. 
Adjoining  this  is  a  boudoir.  A  water-closet  is  placed  in  the 
space  at  the  rear  of  the  stairs,  marked  W.  C. 


[Fig.  162.    Second  Floor.] 

The  small  bed-room  on  the  left  of  D  has  two  dressing-rooms 
attached  to  it ;  the  fireplace  being  placed  in  the  dressing-room 
instead  of  the  bed-room,  which  is  by  far  the  better  place  for  it 
— since  it  leaves  the  air  of  the  bed-room  cool  and  fresh,  and 
the  servant  who  lights  the  fire  in  the  morning  is  not  obliged  to 
enter  the  bed-room. 


342 


COUNTRY  HOUSES. 


Tlie  kitchen  and  its  offices  are  all  placed  in  the  basement 
story  of  this  villa — a  mode  which,  perhaps,  adds  to  its  elegance 
and  ecunomy,  but  detracts  from  its  comfort  and  conven- 
ience. 

The  second-story  arrangement,  Fig.  162,  is  shown  in  the 
annexed  plan. 
Tliere  is  space  for  four  servants'  rooms  in  the  attic. 
CoNSTKucTiON.  Tliis  villa  would  have  the  best  effect,  if 
built  of  the  light-colored  sand-stone  of  New  Jersey.  IS'ext  to 
this,  we  should  prefer  brick,  with  sand-stone  dressings,  and  next 
to  this,  brick  and  stucco.     The  veranda  and  oriel  window  over 

the  front  door  may  be  con- 
stracted  of  wood,  colored, 
to  harmonize  with  the  walls. 
The  roof  may  be  covered  witli 
zinc,  laid  on  a  ribbed  sheath- 
ing, without  soldering,  so  as 
to  allow  it  to  ex]iand  and  con- 
tract without  detriment. 

Fig.  1G3  is  a  section  of  the 
oriel  window  over  the  front 
door. 

To  build  this  design  satis- 
factorily,   working    drawings 
.jQ  would,  of  course,  be  required 
from  the  architect  fur   all    its 
[Fig.  163.]  most  important  details. 

Estimate.  Tlie  cost  of  this  villa,  on  the  Hudson,  built  of 
brick,  with  red  sand-stone  dressings,  and  finished  throughout  in 
u  consistent  manner,  would  be  about  $10,000. 


2;    V. 


DESIGNS  FOR  VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


343 


DESIGN  xxxn. — A  Lake  or  Rimer  Villa  for  a  Picturesque  Site. 

To  a  person  of  common  sense  views,  whose  life  has  been 
passed  in  a  tame  and  prosaic  district  of  country  where  the  eye 
catches  nothing  on  the  earth's  plane  more  elevating  than 
unbroken  levels  of  meadow  or  corn-field,  this  villa  will  almost 


appear  an  impossible  necessity — if  it  does  not  seem  wholly  out 
of  keeping  with  nature  and  life  as  he  understands  them. 

But  let  another  pei-son,  gifted  not  only  with  common  sense 
but  imagination,  live  amid  such  scenery  as  meets  his  eye  daily 
on  the  Hudson  Highlands,  and  he  will  often  feel  that  a  common- 


344  COUNl'RY    HOUSES. 

place,  matter-of-fact,  square  house  is  an  insult  to  the  spirit  of  all 
tliat  surrounds  liiiii.  In  such  hold  scenery,  nature  overpowers 
all  and  suggests  all.  Even  cultivated  fields  would  almost  appear 
an  impertinence  in  the  sight  of  the  broad  river  and  lofty  hills, 
were  it  not  that  they  serve,  by  contrast,  to  heighten  the  grandeur 
of  that  which  man  can  never  subdue,  but  which  always  stands 
ready  to  awe  and  subdue  him. 

It  is  in  such  picturesque  scenery  as  this — scenery  which 
exists  in  many  spots  in  America  besides  the  banks  of  the 
Hudson — wherever,  indeed,  the  wildness  or  gi*andeur  of  nature 
triumphs  strongly  over  cultivated  landscape — but  especially 
where  river  or  lake  and  hill  country  are  combined — it  is  there 
that  the  highly  picturesque  country  house  or  villa  is  instinct- 
ively felt  to  harmonize  with  and  belong  to  the  landscape.  It 
is  there  that  the  high  tower,  the  steep  roof,  and  the  boldly 
varied  outline,  seem  wholly  in  keeping  with  the  landscape, 
because  these  forms  in  the  Iniilding  harmonize,  either  by 
contrast  or  assimilation,  with  the  pervading  spirit  of  mysterious 
power  and  beauty  in  romantic  scenery. 

Every  one  with  a  lively  percejition  of  beauty  has  felt  the 
pleasure  of  that  contrast  which  occui-s  in  nature,  where  tall 
pyramidal  hills  rise  directly  from  the  water's  edge  ;  or  something 
of  the  same  effect  in  smaller  bits  of  landscape,  M'here  a  single 
tall  poplar  rises  by  some  ri\er  bank,  tt)  contrast  strongly  with 
the  level  of  the  shores.  It  is  in  this  mental  delight  awakened 
by  the  contrast  of  symbols,  of  repose  and  action,  of  beauty  and 
power,  in  the  lake  that  slumbei-s  peacefully,  and  the  hills  that 
litl  themselves  boldly  or  grandly  above  it,  that  we  find  the 
ex})lanation  of  part  of  the  peculiar  charm  which  belongs  to 
those   picturesque  towere  and   campaniles  of  the  edifices   and 


DESIGNS    FOR   VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES.  345 

villas  of  the  Rhine  and  the  Italian  lakes.  The  same  good  effect 
will  follow  from  the  introduction  of  buildings  composed  upon 
similar  principles,  and  placed  on  our  picturesque  river-banks. 

Living  on  the  shores  of  the  Hudson,  we  are  naturally 
partial  to  picturesque  architectm'e,  and  have  studied  its  effects 
with  lively  interest,  Li  composing  this  design,  we  frankly 
own  our  indebtedness  to  the  architecture  of  the  Rhine  towns 
for  two  features  which  distinguish  it — the  simple,  square,  high- 
roofed  tower  and  the  twisted  column.  The  general  composition 
of  the  design  and  the  arrangement  of  the  plan,  of  course, 
belong  wholly  to  our  own  habits  in  domestic  life,  and  have 
nothing  to  do  with  houses  abroad. 

We  must  call  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  the  combination 
of  power  and  domestic  feeling  in  this  villa — power  in  the  high 
roofs  and  gables,  and  especially  in  the  lofty  heavenward- 
pointing  tower,  and  domesticity  in  the  peculiarly  homelike  look 
of  the  wing  on  the  right,  with  its  twisted  pillars,  as  well  as  in 
the  repetition  of  this  latter  expression  in  the  porch  and  two 
projecting  windows. 

There  is  something  more  than  caprice  in  the  "delicious 
curve"  of  the  roof  which  belongs  to  many  of  the  Rhine 
buildings,  and  which  we  have  reproduced  in  this  design.  It 
is,  in  fact,  a  repetition  of  the  grand  hollow  or  mountain  curve 
formed  by  the  sides  of  almost  all  great  hills  rising  from  the 
water's  edge,  and  it  forms  the  cormecting  link  that  unites 
and  brings  into  harmony  the  opposite  lines,  perpendicular  and 
horizontal,  which  are  found,  the  one  in  the  tower  and  the  other 
in  the  water  or  landscape  level  at  its  base.  Hence,  this 
curved  line  of  roof,  seldom  or  never  seen  elsewhere,  is  always 
satisfactory  as  well  as  beautiful  in  mountain  architectm-e. 


346 


COUNTRY  HOUSES. 


A  word,  also,  in  behalf  of  the  twist- 
ed pillar,  a  feature  common  in  the 
liuildings  of  the  middle  ages,  which 
classical  architects  have  affected  to 
despise,  and  which  we  are  by  uo 
means  willing  to  leave  wholly  to  the 
other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  or  to  be 
classed  among  barbarous  things. 

The  twisted  pillar,  considered  as  a 
part  of  severe  architecture — that  is, 
the  architecture  of  public  buildings, 
is,  we  gi'ant,  wanting  in  strength  and 
dignity.  It  has  neither  the  grandeiu" 
[Fig.  166.  Twisted  Pillars.]  nor  the  simplicity  of  the  Greek 
column.  But,  as  a  part  of  domestic  architecture,  it  has,  rightly 
employed,  a  fitness  and  beauty  peculiar  to  itself  It  is  not  the 
fitness  and  beauty  of  the  Greek  column — as  the  beauty  of  the 
swan  sailing  on  the  peaceful  lake  is  not  that  of  the  eagle  poised 
in  mid-air — though  as  undeniably  and  absolutely  beautiful. 
Every  outward  material  form  is  a  spnbol  or  expression  of  some- 
thing which  is  not  matter,  and  which,  rightly  imderstood,  gives 
us  the  key  to  the  power  with  which  that  form,  immediately  and 
without  reflection,  acts  upon  the  sense  of  beauty.  Now,  the 
twisted  or  wreathed  column  is  the  natural  symbol  or  emblem  of 
affectionate  embrace — its  ty^Q-,  almost  pure  and  exact,  may  be 
found  in  every  forest,  in  every  thick  dell  or  wooded  valley. 
Wherever  there  is  a  twming  vine  or  climber,  that,  obeying  the 
law  of  its  vital  force,  ascends  in  spiral  lines  aroimd  a  naked 
stem  or  branch  of  a  tree,  there  you  have  the  twisted  column.* 


*  Whoever  has  wauderecl  in  American  woods  must  have  seen  in  the  spiral 


DESIGNS   FOR  VILLAS   OR  COUNTRY   HOUSES.  347 

It  is  the  delicate,  clinging  for  support  to  the  strong — the  frail, 
upheld  bj  the  powerful — in  short,  the  poet's  own  type  of 
affectionate,  loving,  trusting  womanhood. 

With  this  explanation  of.  the  meaning  of  the  twisted  pillar 
(which,  so  far  as  we  know,  has  long  waited  for  a  champion), 
it  will  easily  be  seen  that  we  are  not  among  those  who  place 
it  among  the  relics  of  a  debased  age  in  art.  On  the  contrary, 
as  we  believe,  it  was  first  used  by  architects  who  worked  with 
a  fresher  and  more  vital  hold  upon  natm-e  than  most  artists 
of  the  nineteenth  century;  we  accept  and  adopt  it  as  one  of 
those  recognitions  of  natural  beauty  rendered  artistic,  which 
win  last  as  long  as  the  sense  of  beauty  lasts. 

We  have  avoided,  in  the  composition  of  this  villa,  all  that 
difficult  and  elaborate  detail  which  might  have  been  introduced 
in  a  building  in  this  style.  The  general  spirit  of  the  composition 
is  pointed,  without  being  strictly  Gothic,  and  we  have  sought  to 
produce  effect  by  light  and  shade  rather  than  intricate  details. 
Hence,  the  windows  (with  the  exception  of  a  few  in  the  upper 
portions,  to  preserve  the  spu'it  of  the  style)  are  simple  recesses  in 
the  walls,  deeply  sunk,  to  give  depth  of  shadow,  and  covered 
externally  by  the  Venetian  shutter-blinds,  so  essentially  useful 
in  this  climate. 

Not  to  be  wearisome  regarding  our  river  villa,  we  would  add 
that  we  hope  the  reader  will  find  in  it  the  expression  of  variety, 
independence  and  force  of  character,  strong  aspirations,  and 
equally  strong  attachment  to  home  and  domestic  life.  As  the 
residence  of  a  man  or  family  to  whom  such  a  character  belongs, 
and  built  in  a  fittingly  picturesque  site,  this  villa  would  have 

growth  of  the  Bitter-sweet  {Celastrus  scandens)  nature's  own  suggestion  for  the 
twisted  or  wreathed  column. 


348  OOUNTRT    HOUSES. 

a  charm  quite  beyond  the  belief  of  those  who  know  nothing  of 
the  effect  of  harmonious  and  spirited  architecture. 

Accommodation.  The  accommodation  of  this  residence  is 
spacious,  handsome,  and  economical.  The  hall,  22  feet  square, 
is  itself  a  line  apartment,  and  communicates  with  the  three 
other  principal  rooms  in  a  very  satisfactory  manner.  It  is 
quite  sufficiently  lighted  (for  a  hall  should  always  be  rather 
dark  and  low  in  tone,  as  compared  with  other  rooms)  by  two 
narrow  windows  on  either  side  of  the  porch.  From  this  hall  a 
door  opens  on  the  left  into  the  towei^  which  contains  a  fine 
staircase,  ascending  with  landings.  On  the  right,  another  door 
opens  upon  a  fine  veranda,  10  feet  wide  and  over  80  feet  long, 
which  entirely  surrounds  the  north  portion  of  the  house  con- 
taining the  drawing-room. 

We  should  prefer  to  light  this  drawing-room  from  two  sides 
only,  so  as  not  to  have  cross  lights — and  for  this  reason  we 
leave  a  blank  wall,  to  be  hung  with  pictures  on  one  side.  The 
semicircular  or  bow-window,  8  feet  wide,  is  well-placed  at  the 
end  of  the  room. 

Tlie  library,  20  by  24-  feet,  is  lighted  by  a  large  bay-window, 
which  would  have  a  good  effect,  if  filled  with  stained  glass  of  a 
quiet  tone  of  color.  There  is  a  smaller  bay-window  on  the 
side,  ill  which  should  be  a  reading  or  ^^^ndow  scat.  The  wood 
work  in  this  room  should  be  oak  or  black-walnut,  and  the  book- 
cases should  be  recessed  in  tlie  walls,  as  at  «,  a^  and  designed 
to  accord  in  character  with  the  style  of  the  apartment. 

The  dining-room,  22  feet  square,  is  chiefly  lighted  by  a  large 
transom  window  at  the  extremity.  This  room  occupies  the 
rear  of  the  house,  as  there  is  less  demand  for  a  fine  view  in  a 
dining  room  than  in  the  other  principal  apartments.    It  is  well 


DESIGNS   FOR   VILLAS   OK   COUNTRY   HOUSES.  349 

situated  with  respect  to  the  kitchen  offices  in  the  rear — being 
directly  connected  with  them  by  a  passage,  which  also  cominu- 
nicates  with  pantiy,  china-closet,  etc. 

The  arrangement  of  these  four  rooms  (counting  the  hall  as 
one)  is  somewhat  similar  to  that  in  our  own  residence,  and  we 
have  found  it  both  convenient  and  beautiful.  All  the  apart- 
ments may  be  thrown  en  suite  by  the  connecting  doors,  or 
each  may  be  rendered  quite  separate  and  distinct  by  closing 
these  doors.  The  entrance-hall,  if  paved  with  marble  or 
encaustic  tiles,  would  be  a  most  agreeable  saloon  in  summer, 
opening  as  it  does  upon  the  porch  and  veranda,  so  that  a 
circulation  of  air  would  always  keep  it  cool  in  temperatm*e. 

To  suit  those  who  prefer  disconnection  and  privacy  in  each 
of  the  different  apartments,  the  plan  may  be  varied  by  cutting 
off  the  communication  between  the  dining-room  and  library  on 
one  side,  and  the  dining-room  and  drawing-room  on  the  other. 
This  would  make  each  room  a  more  secluded  and  private 
apartment. 

It  will  be  seen  by  inspecting  the  plan,  that  the  kitchen 
offices  are  conveniently  situated,  with  respect  to  the  dining- 
room.  There  is  on  the  left  of  the  dining-room  a  passage 
leading  to  the  kitchen,  and  containing  a  back  stair,  at  h. 
Alongside  this  passage  are  placed  the  pantry  and  china-closet. 
The  kitchen  is  lighted  on  one  side  only,  so  as  not  to  overlook 
the  library  window.  Connected  with  it  are  the  scullery  and 
laundry,  and  there  is  also  a  separate  porch  alongside  the 
kitchen. 

This  range  of  offices  (which  we  have  left  indefinite)  might  be 
extended,  so  as  to  include  carriage-house,  bam,  stable,  etc.,  thus 
adding  to  the  effect  of  the  whole  mass,  and  at  the  same  time 


350 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


being  more  economical  and  convenient  than  having  all  the 
outbuildings  detached,  as  is  usually  the  case. 


[Fig.  167.    Chiunbcr  Floor.] 

The  accommodation  of  the  chani])er  floor  is  shown  in  Fig. 
167.  Tliere  are  here  nine  bed-rooms,  one  of  wliieh — the  prin- 
cipal guestKihamber — has  two  dressing-rooms  of  large  size. 
There  is  a  bath-room,  with  water-closet  attached.  Tliere 
are  also  servants'  rooms  in  tlie  attic,  reached  by  the  fliglit  of 
stairs  placed  in  the  hall,  6  feet  wide.  The  walls  of  the  mahi 
partition  being  of  stone,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  starting  a  flue 
at  ^,  for  that  bed-room,  or  in  carrying  over  (in  the  garret)  all 
the  flues  of  the  principal  rooms  into  two  stacks,  as  shown  in 


DESIGNS  FOR  VILLAS   OR  C0r2^RY   HOUSES. 


351 


the  elevation.  A  smaller  and  lighter  flight  of  stairs  ascends  in 
the  tower,  from  the  chamber  floor  to  the  top,  where  there  is  an 
apartment,  10  feet  square,  which  may  be  the  private  sanctum, 
of  the  master  of  the  house,  or  a  general  belvedere  or  "look-out" 
for  visitors,  as  the  taste  of  the  proprietor  may  lead  him  to 
appropriate  it. 

CoNSTRUcno^r.  To  suit  the  picturesque  character  of  this 
design,  it  should  be  built  of  stone,  in  a  manner  exactly  the 
opposite  to  that  shown  in  Design  XXXI.  The  intention,  there, 
is  to  express  artistic  style  and  scientific  nicety  of  construction ; 
here,  it  is  to  express  character  and  picturesqueness.  Common 
quarry  stone,  that  may  be  found  in  any  hilly  country,  wiU  best 
answer  for  the  walls  of  such  a  residence  as  this ;  and  the  effect 
will  be  better,  if  only  roughly  di-essed  by  the  mason's  hammer, 
and  even  laid  in  random  courses,  than  if  cut  with  the  chisel,  and 

laid  in  smooth  ashlar.  The 
walls  should  be  2  feet  thick,  the 
foundations  laid  in  hydraulic 
lime,  and  the  interior  walls 
fii'red  off,  so  as  effectually  to 
prevent  all  dampness. 

To  give  the  roof  the  curved 
line  shown  in  the  elevation  is 
veiy  easily  done,  as  will  be 
seen  by  examining  the  section. 
Fig.  168.  In  this,  a  is  the 
straight  rafter,  forming  the 
main  roof;  5,  a  curved  piece, 
spliced  to  the  main  rafter,  and 
[Fig!  168.  Section  of  Roof.]  projecting  2  feet  beyond  the 


352  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

wall ;  c,  tlic  bracket,  supporting  the  projecting  eaves.  As 
the  curved  piece  of  false  rafter  is  entirely  covered  by  shingles 
above,  and  sealed  on  the  under  side,  it  may  be  cut  out  of  good 
thick  plank.  The  brackets,  however,  should  either  be  of 
stone  or  of  pieces  of  durable  timber,  six  inches  thick,  built 
into  the  wall,  so  as  to  have  the  apparent  strength  and  solidity 
of  stone.  Tiie  roof  should  be  covered  with  best  cedar  shingles 
of  large  size. 

Tlie  verge-board  of  the  front  gable,  as  well  as  that  over  the 
drawing-room,  should  be  bold  and  heavy,  so  as  to  produce  a 
rich  and  pictm-esque  effect.  It  should  be  of  carved  j^lank,  at 
least  2i  inches  thick. 

The  first  story  of  this  house  may  be  13  feet  between  floo"rs, 
the  second  9  feet. 

EstimaU.  If  built  in  a  district  where  the  stone  could  be 
found  on  the  site,  and  with  the  interior  finished  in  a  pictu- 
resque, but  comparatively  economical  and  effective  manner,  to 
correspond  with  the  exterior,  this  villa  might  be  erected  for 
about  $10,000.  In  the  majority  of  hands,  however,  it  would 
vary  little  in  cost  from  $12;000. 

DESIGN  xxxni. — A   Villa  in  the  Romanesque  Style,  for  the  Mid- 
dle or  Southern  States. 

This  design  is  intended  for  the  coimtry-scat  of  a  man  of 
ample  fortune,  and  for  a  site  in  the  midst  of  highly-cultivated 
and  beautiful  scenery.  It  demands  for  "  accessories,"  pleasure- 
grounds,  lawns,  and  all  that  constitutes  the  embellished  land- 
scape of  the  finest  country  residences  in  America.  Without 
costing  a  third  of  the  sum  expended  at  the  present  time  in 


'::;  \ 
X  ? 


DESIGNS   FOK   VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY    HOUSES. 


353 


several  villas  lately  built  upon  the  Hudson,  it  would  give  an 
abundant  accommodation  for  all  the  requirements  of  our  most 
refined  social  life. 


Looking  at  the  exterior  of  this  design,  the  student  of 
expression  will  find  it  marked  by  dignity,  variety,  and  har- 
mony ;  dignity  in  the  solid  enti-ance  tower,  and  breadth  of  the 
fa9ade ;  variety  in  the  different  outlines  of  pediment,  horizontal 
cornice,  and  loftier  campanile;  and  harmony  in  the  predomi- 
nance of  the  round  arch  and  other  features  of  the  style  chosen. 

23 


354  COITNTKY   HOUSES. 

To  analyze  tlie  exjjrcssion  more  sesthetically,  we  would  say 
that  the  composition  of  the  exterior  of  this  building  equally 
denoted  conservatism  and  culture — by  which  we  mean  a  life 
in  which  the  importance  and  preservation  of  the  family  name  is 
largely  valued  ;  in  which  the  taste,  the  intellect,  and  the  feelings 
are  all  developed ;  in  which  intellectual  accomplishments,  and 
love  of  literature  and  the  fine  arts  form  a  large  part  of  the  life 
and  enjoyment  of  the  inmates.  We  see  refined  culture  sym- 
bolized in  the  round  arch,  with  its  continually  recurring  cm'vea 
of  beauty,  in  the  spacious  and  elegant  arcades,  inviting  to 
leisurely  conversations,  in  all  those  outlines  and  details,  suggest- 
ive of  restrained  and  orderly  action,  as  contrasted  with  the 
upward,  aspiring,  imaginative  feeling  indicated  in  the  pointed 
or  Gothic  styles  of  architecture. 

In  calling  this  villa  Rommiesque^  we  only  wish  to  be  mider- 
stood  that  we  have  gleaned  from  that  style  certain  ideas  of 
composition,  which,  appearing  to  us  well  suited  for  our  purpose, 
we  have  adopted  them  in  designing  a  country  house  suited  to 
a  first-class  residence  here.  Tliere  are  no  Romanesfpie  villas, 
properly  so  called,  in  southern  Europe ;  but  the  architecture 
which  bcai-s  this  name,  and  which  floimshed  before  the  origin 
of  Gothic  architecture,  which  includes  the  Lombard,  the  Saxon, 
the  Norman,  and  much  of  the  Saracenic  or  Eastern  modes  of 
l)uilding,  oilere,  as  we  think,  a  rich  field  of  study  for  the 
architect  who  would  work  out  of  the  materials  of  the  past  a 
new  construction  suited  to  the  present.  Tlie  prevalence  of  the 
round  arch,  of  arcades,  of  intersecting  arches,  and  c»f  roofs 
higher  than  in  the  Grecian,  but  lower  than  in  the  Gothic  styles, 
characterizes  this  architecture.  Among  the  many  fine  examples 
from  the  fifth  to  the  tillecnth  century,  there  is,  it  is  true,  much 


DESIGNS   FOK  VILLAS   OR  COUNTRY   HOUSES.  355 

that  is  clumsy,  debased,  and  unworthy  of  serious  attention; 
but  there  are  also,  especially  in  the  beautiful  details  of  door  and 
window  decoration,  and  all  that  relates  to  interior  embellish- 
ment, numerous  examples  of  the  most  refined  and  artistic 
treatment  of  forms  and  lines,  in  which  the  taste  of  some  of  the 
Italian  masters  stands  forth  conspicuously  by  the  side  of  later 
Gothic  ai-t.  In  short,  without  actually  copying  a  single 
example  of  Komanesque  architectm-e,  we  think  a  student  of 
genius  might,  from  a  judicious  study  of  it,  elicit  ideas  that  could 
be  more  easily  and  harmoniously  ^\"rought  into  a  new  domestic 
architecture  of  a  classical  character  than  those  from  any  other 
ti'ansatlantic  som'ce. 

The  Romanesque,  as  we  would  adopt  the  spirit  of  that  style, 
has,  when  conti*asted  with  the  modern  Italian,  more  of  that 
quaintness,  solidity,  and  rusticity  which  belong,  properly,  to 
rural  architecture.  "While,  therefore,  we  are  well  content  with 
Italian  architecture,  as  scarcely  capable  of  improvement,  for 
town  houses  or  suburban  villas,  we  think  we  see  in  Roman- 
esque architectm'e  good  hints  for  a  style  of  country  residences, 
that  would  be  exti'emely  well  suited  to  the  middle  and  southern 
states.  Tlie  large,  arched  openings  are  well  adapted  to  a 
climate  where  every  breath  of  air  is  needed  in  summer,  and 
the  spacious  veranda,  added  with  some  difliculty  in  other  styles, 
is  here,  in  the  shape  of  the  arcade,  a  natm-al  and  appropriate 
paii:  of  the  edifice,  as  well  as  the  most  characteristic  ornament 
of  both  the  Romanesque  and  Italian  style. 

Besides  this,  the  Romanesque  style  is  one  particularly  suited 
to  a  material  that  will  probably,  ere  long,  come  into  more 
general  use  than  any  other  for  country  houses — brick.  All  its 
round  arches,  aU  its  peculiar  featm^es,  are  so  easily  and  so  well 


350  (X)UNTBY   HOUSES. 

constructed  of  brick.  Over  the  southern  part  of  Europe,  and 
as  far  north  as  Berlin,  the  richest  effects  are  produced  by  the 
use  of  ornamental  bricks,  moulded  so  as  to  form  beautiful 
designs.  These  serve  for  the  construction  of  cornices,  window- 
di'essings,  string-courses,  etc.  The  manufacture  of  these  orna- 
mental bricks  is  just  being  commenced  in  New  York,  as  well  as 
the  beautiful  tenTO-cotta  ornaments  which  are  so  extensively 
employed  for  the  decoration  of  architectural  fa(;ades  in  Italy 
and  Germany.  With  such  materials,  the  most  striking  and 
excellent  effects  may  be  produced  in  villas  in  the  style  of  this 
design — the  entire  walls  being  built  of  brick,  at  very  moderate 
cost,  and  being  as  durable,  and,  when  properly  colored,  as 
satisfactory  to  the  eye  as  stone  itself. 

Accommodation.  Before  we  examine  the  plan  in  detail,  let 
us  remark  that,  in  order  to  make  a  complete  Southern  house, 
the  kitchen  should  be  detached  20  or  30  yards.  In  that  case, 
the  plan  would  otherwise  remain  as  it  is ;  that  is,  it  would  retain 
the  store-room  and  i)antry,  but  the  kitchen  would  be  placed  at  a 
suital)le  distance,  directly  in  the  rear  of  the  store-room. 

If  intended  for  the  Middle  States,  the  kitchen,  etc.,  would 
Q'fljoin  tlie  store-room,  much  in  the  manner  of  Design  XXXII. 

Entering  the  vestibule  of  this  villa  (Fig.  169),  it  will  be 
seen  that  coolness  and  ventilation  have  been  considered  in 
connection  with  spaciousness  and  breadtli  of  effect.  Standing 
in  the  middle  of  the  vestibule,  the  arcade  extends  to  the 
drawing-room,  affording  a  broad  and  airy  promenade,  nearly 
Go  feet  long,  sheltered  from  sun  and  rain. 

From  the  vestibule  we  enter  the  dining-hall,  a  handsome 
a])artment,  20  by  26  feet.  If  this  hall  were  the  only  means  of 
access  to  the  main  staircase,  the  drawing-room,  or  other  parts 


DESIGNS  FOB  VILLAS  OR  COUNTRY  HOUSES.  357 

of  the  house,  we  should  object  to  its  being  used  as  a  dining- 
room.  But  it  is  not.  On  the  contrary,  persons  waiting  in  the 
vestibule  for  admittance,  during  meals,  would  be  shown  along 
the  arcade  into  the  office,  or  ante-room,  if  upon  business ;  or 
into  the  drawing-room  or  boudoir,  if  paying  visits — as  the 
windows,  c,  communicating  with  this  arcade,  are  casement 
windows   opening  to   the  floor,  like   doors.     Or,  in   winter,  a 

handsome   movable  screen  placed,  as   at  a &,  in  the  dining- 

hall,  during  meals,  would  shut  off  the  table  temporarily,  and 
allow  a  passage  for  the  visitor  into  the  ante-room. 

We  like  the  custom  of  dining  in  an  ample  hall  like  this,  in  a 
large  coimtry  house,  for  it  enables  us  to  give  to  the  hall  itself  a 
character  of  spaciousness  (by  thus  uniting  the  uses  of  two 
apartments),  which  dining-rooms  rarely  have,  and  it  allows  a 
certain  breadth  of  effect  and  simple  grandeur  of  treatment 
which  makes  such  a  hall  the  most  expressive  feature  of  a 
country  house — characteristically  decorated,  as  it  should  be, 
with  antlers,  with  fine  specimens  of  the  groTvi:h  of  the  fields  and 
forests,  and  magnificent  nosegays  of  fresh  flowers.  The  floor 
of  such  a  hall  should  by  all  means  be  bare  (or  only  covered  in 
the  centre  under  the  dining-table),  and  paved  or  inlaid  with 
ornamental  tiles,  or  native  woods  of  different  colors. 

On  the  right  of  this  hall  is  a  noble  veranda,  which, 
for  want  of  a  better  name,  we  call  the  pavilion.  To  a 
Southern  house,  this  would  be  the  greatest  necessity,  besides 
adding  much  to  the  architectm-al  beauty  of  the  house ;  for,  in 
fact,  such  a  pavilion  would  be  the  lounging  place,  conversazione^ 
and  often  dining-room  itself,  since  it  would  be  the  coolest, 
airiest,  and  most  agreeable  part  of  the  house  during  a  certain 
part  of  the   day.    In   smnmer,  this   pavilion,  or   its  shadow, 


35S  COUNTRY   nOUSES. 

woiUd  give  a  softened  light  to  the  diniiig-hall,  while  the  large 
windows,  thrown  open  to  the  floor,  between  the  two,  would  make 
the  dining-room  fresh  and  pleasant  in  the  most  sultry  days. 
To  vary  the  uses  of  the  pavilion,  we  will  only  suggest  that,  the 
dinner  being  over,  the  dessert  might  be  served  there,  and  the 
dessert  being  concluded,  gentlemen  addicted  to  the  soothing 
indulgence  of  a  fragrant  "  Havana,"  would  find  the  pavilion 
the  best  of  smoking  apartments,  after  the  ladies  had  retired  to 
the  drawing-room. 

Even  in  the  Middle  States,  the  eujopnent  of  a  large  pavilion 
of  this  kind  is  very  great  dm'ing  four  months  of  the  year,  Tlie 
only  example  that  we  have  seen  of  such  an  appendage  to  the 
house  is  at  Montgomery  Place— -one  of  the  finest  seats  on  the 
Hudson,  where  it  is  placed  on  the  drawing-room  side  of  tlie 
house,  and  at  once  impresses  every  visitor  by  its  combination 
of  l)eauty,  dignity,  and  utility.  In  short,  although  this  feature 
may  be  omitted,  without  materially  diminishing  tlie  beauty  or 
convenience  of  this  design,  its  adoption  would  give  a  complete- 
ness and  significance  to  a  fii"st-rate  country  house  like  this ; 
completeness,  since  it  affords  something  more  than  a  veranda, 
viz.  a  room  in  the  open  aii\  the  greatest  luxury  in  a  warm  sum- 
mer ;  significance,  since  it  tells  the  story  of  a  desideratum  grow- 
ing out  of  our  climate,  architecturally  and  fittingly  supplied. 

From  the  dining-hall,  on  the  side  opposite  tlie  inivilion,  we 
enter  the  corridor — a  long  hall,  cuntaining  the  principal 
staircase,  and  opening  into  all  the  other  apartments.  Tliis 
corridor  being  10  feet  wide,  with  a  broad  and  massive  stair, 
wc'uld  have  a  handsome  and  spacious  appearance ;  and  if  the 
walls  were  tluown  into  panels  by  the  intersecting  arches, 
characteristic  of  the  Romanesque  style,  it  would,  from  its  length 


DESIGNS   FOK   VILLAS   OR   COUNTRY   HOUSES.  359 

and  relative  position  to  the  rooms,  be  one  of  the  most  striking 
parts  of  the  house. 

The  first  room  on  the  left  of  this  corridor  is  the  office^ 
ante-room,  or  gentleman's  own  room — a  very  necessary  and 
useful  apartment,  especially  in  country  houses  upon  large 
estates,  or  those  belongmg  to  professional  men  in  the  habit  of 
receiving  business  calls  at  their  residences.  Lideed,  there  are 
few  large  country  houses  where  the  want  of  some  such  an 
apartment,  into  which  all  persons  who  call  upon  business  may 
be  shown,  is  not  sensibly  felt.  Devoting  this  room  to  such  a 
pm'pose,  we  would  have  an  iron  safe  for  valuable  papers,  built 
into  the  wall,  on  one  side  of  the  fireplace,  and  a  bookcase  and 
wi'iting-table  should  be  constructed,  to  fill  up  the  corresponding 
space  on  the  other  side. 

Next  to  the  office  is  the  libTa/ry.  This  should  have  no 
connection  with  the  office,  because  the  latter  should  be  com- 
paratively private.  Indeed,  when  the  drawing-room,  as  in 
this  house,  is  so  large  as  not  to  render  it  needful  to  connect 
it  with  adjoining  apartments,  we  would  close  up  the  door 
indicated  between  it  and  the  library.  The  library  then 
would  be  a  retired  and  secluded  room — more,  perhaps,  in 
keeping  with  its  uses.  But  this  matter  of  connection  or  privacy 
of  the  diflerent  apartments  is  a  matter  of  personal  preference. 
The  continental  taste  is  for  suites  of  rooms,  all  connected — 
like  Design  XXXII. ;  while  the  English,  on  the  contrary,  prefer 
that  privacy  and  seclusion  in  most  of  the  principal  rooms, 
which  may  be  had  in  this  residence. 

Of  the  draioing-room^  we  need  say  little.  A  large  apartment 
like  this,  19  by  28  feet,  looking  on  the  lawn  upon  two  sides, 
connected  by  a  glass  door  with  the  arcade  at  one  end  and  the 


360  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

corridor  at  the  other,  so  well  disposed  as  regards  liglit,  prospect, 
and  connectiun  with  the  rest  of  the  house,  could  not  fail,  if  well 
treated,  to  produce  a  very  satisfactory  and  beautiful  effect. 

Besides  this  spacious  drawing-room,  the  ladies  of  this 
residence  would  have  a  more  cosy  reception-room  in  the 
houdovr  at  the  end  of  the  corridor.  This  little  apartment  being 
the  ladies'  o'wai  room,  may  be  treated  with  a  fancifulness  and 
delicacy  of  decoration  that  the  more  spacious  di-awing-room 
would  forbid,  and,  in  the  hands  of  a  lady  of  taste,  may  be  made 
the  most  charmingly  feminine  and  attractive  apartment  in 
the  house. 

The  eye  of  the  domestic  economist  will  not  overlook  the  wing, 
in  Fig.  169,  extending  in  the  rear  of  the  dining-hall,  which 
contains  the  kitchen  offices.  Here  are  the  back  staii-s,  the 
butler's  pantry,  the  store-room,  and  the  passage  to  the  kitchen. 
We  have  not  indicated  the  kitchen  itself,  because,  as  we  have 
before  mentioned,  in  a  Southern  house  this  would  be  detached. 
But,  if  built  in  the  Middle  States,  the  kitchen,  laundry,  scullery, 
etc.,  would  extend  tliis  wing  of  the  house  some  25  or  30  feet 
beyond  what  is  shown  in  the  plan,  adding  exteriorly,  at  the 
same  time,  to  the  good  effect  of  the  whole  composition. 

The  plan  of  the  second  floor.  Fig.  170,  will  be  easily  mider- 
stood.  It  contains  7  bed-rooms  and  2  large  dressing-rooms, 
that  might  occasionally  be  used  as  bed-rooms.  The  apartments 
for  servants  are  supposed  to  be  placed  over  the  kitchen  wing, 
and  til  ere  may  also  be  two  or  more  good  servants'  bed-rooms 
over  the  drawing-room. 

In  the  large  dressing-room,  13  by  13  feet,  there  is  a  light  and 
pretty  staircase,  rising  to  the  apartment  in  the  upper  part  of 
the  tower.    This  latter  apartment,  a  charming  prospect  gallery 


DESIGNS  FOK  VILLAS   OK   COUNTRY  HOUSES.  361 


[Fig.  170.    Second  Floor.] 

or  belvedere  in  a  country  of  varied  scenery,  would  be  a  very 
agreeable  feature;  hence,  the  bed-room,  16  by  20,  connected 
with  the  dressing-room  below,  might  be  the  "  state  bed-room," 
with  both  dressing-room  and  belvedere  attached  to  it. 

At  the  end  of  the  long  comdor  is  a  water-closet  ("W.  C), 
and  at  the  opposite  exti-emity,  beyond  the  back  stairs,  «,  is  a 
large  bath-room,  etc. 

Construction.  Of  coui*se,  this  villa  would  require  soKd 
materials,  to  give  the  proper  effect  to  the  style  adopted. 
Walls  of  light-colored  free-stone  would,  perhaps,  be  the  most 
satisfactory,  but  brick  and  stucco  would  be  far  cheaper  for  the 
Middle  or  Southern  states,  and  the  efi'ect  nearly  as  good.  We, 
however,  would  prefer  to  build  the  whole  of  brick,*  as  we  have 

*  Of  course,  colored  externally,  of  an  agreeable  hue. 


362 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


already  suggested,  with  the  details  of  windows,  dt)oi-s,  and 
arcades,  ornamented  with  moulded  bricks,  and  enriched  with 
terra-cotta  decorations,  built  into  the  solid  walls.  In  this  way, 
a  rich  and  striking  effect  would  be  produced  for  a  reasonable 
smn ;  while  brown  stone  woiild  add  a  third  more  to  the  cost- 
even  if  used,  as  it  now  is,  chiefly  as  facings  to  the  walls. 

It  is  needless  to  give  details  for  a  building  of  this  kind,  as 
any  pei-son  desiring  to  adopt  the  plan  would  of  com*se  consult 
a  competent  architect  for  the  working  drawings.  TVe  may 
remark,  however,  that  it  would  not  be  difiicult,  in  a  style  like 
this,  to  give  a  distinctly  American  or  local  expression  to  all  the 
architectural  decoration,  so  that  the  whole  ^^Ila  would  be  felt  to 
have  a  national  character  about  it.  To  take  the 
arcade,  for  example :  the  capitals  of  the  columns 
might  be  foiined  of  the  foliao^e  and  ear  of  In- 
dian  com,  for  which  our  sketch  here  given,  Fig. 
ITl,  may  serve  as  a  hint.  Capitals  of  columns, 
like  this  design,  might  be  cast  in  terra-cotta,  at 
a  very  trifling  expense,  and  produce  a  ver\' 
pleasing  cft'ect.  By  the  introduction,  in  an 
artistic  manner,  of  the  cotton,  the  tobacco,  the 
magnolia,  and  other  characteristic  fonns  of 
foliage  and  flowere  in  the  decorative  pai-ts  of 
such  a  building,  a  novel  and  beautiful  character  would  be 
given  to  the  architecture,  which  every  American  would  feel  to 
have  more  meaning  here  than  the  zig-zag  or  billet-moulding  of 
the  Northern,  or  the  more  classical  ornaments  of  the  Southern 
Komanesquo  style,  as  it  is  seen  in  Europe. 

Nothing  can  exceed   the  richness  of  some  of  the  ^nndow- 
dressings  of  the  Romanesque  edifices  of  the  south  of  Europe. 


[Fig.  171.    nesitm  for 
a  new  Capital.] 


DESIGNS  FOK  VILLAS   OK   COUNTRY   HOUSES.  363 

Merely  to  copy  these  for  villa  architecture  would,  of  course, 
be  out  of  keeping,  since  they  were  originally  designed  for 
edifices  of  a  public  character,  where  the  most  elaborate 
decoration  was  called  for.  But  new  compositions,  in  the  more 
simple  mode,  adapted  to  private  residences,  and  with  forms  and 
materials  taken  fi'om  the  nature  and  life  around  us,  could  be 
made  by  an  architect  of  genius,  in  a  manner  that  would  unite 
the  beauty  of  the  old  and  the  significance  of  the  new,  so  as  to 
produce  the  happiest  effects. 

Estimate.  It  is  difiicult  to  say,  precisely,  what  would  be  the 
cost  of  this  villa,  without  going  into  greater  detail  than  our 
limits  allow  res]3ecting  the  execution  of  both  the  interior 
and  exterior.  Neither  do  we  know  enough  of  the  cost 
of  building  at  the  South  to  say  what  the  average  expense 
of  construction  would  be  there.  In  this  part  of  the  Middle 
States  where  we  wiite,  however,  assuming  the  walls  to  be 
built  of  good  hard  brick  (worth  $6  per  1000),  treated  in 
the  manner  we  have  suggested,  and  the  interior  finished  in  a 
consistent  and  complete  manner — the  first  story  14  feet,  and 
the  second  11  feet  high — the  cost  of  the  whole  would  not  vary 
much  from  $14,000. 


364  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


SECTION  XI. 

INTERIOR  FINISHING  OF  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

Every  tasteful  dwelling-house  wliicli  may  be  considered 
architectural,  exhibits,  in  the  composition  of  its  exterior, 
certain  predominant  forais  or  lines,  which  give  it  architectural 
character — and  which  constitute  what  is  called  the  style — as 
Grecian,  Gothic,  etc.  This  we  have,  in  some  degree,  made 
familiar  to  our  readers,  by  the  exhibition  of  views  of  the 
exteriors  of  country  residences  of  different  classes,  and  it  now 
remains  for  us  to  consider  briefly  the  subject  of  interiors. 

It  is  almost  needless  to  remark  here,  that  a  certain  manner 
of  treating  a  subject  architecturally,  which  we  call  style,  and 
which  is  nothing  more  than  making  the  same  general  spirit  of 
composition  pervade  all  the  lines  and  forms,  may  be  exhibited 
in  the  smallest  details,  as  well  as  the  boldest  outlines  of  a 
building ;  that  it  governs  the  form  and  proportion  of  the  least 
moulding  upon  a  table,  as  well  as  the  strongest  lines  of  tower 
or  roof. 

Granting  this  fact,  and  coupling  with  it  the  circumstance 
that  a  long  series  of  years  has  accumulated,  in  all  the  Avell- 
defined  styles  of  architectm-e,  a  wealth  uf  decorative  forms 
ready  for  use,  it  will  readily  be  seen  that  the  province  of  the 
architect  does  not  cease  with  designing  the  general  plan  and 


TREATMENT   OF  INTERIOKS.  365 

exterior  of  any  building,  but  that  he  should  cany  out  the  same 
Bpiiit  or  style  in  all  parts  of  the  edifice.  A  building  in  which 
this  is  done  throughout,  has  a  gi-eat  advantage  over  one  where 
the  style  is  only  manifested  on  the  outside ;  that  advantage,  in 
short,  which  every  thing  in  art  or  nature  has,  where  we  find 
unity  and  harmony  pervading  every  portion  of  the  enth'e  work, 
and  where  we  see  that  there  is  clearly  no  sm-face  delusion, 
but  an  intelligent  unity  reigning  over  the  whole. 

!N^ow  this  complete  expression  of  style  in  all  parts  of  a 
building  may  be  manifested,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  in 
proportion  to  the  character  of  the  building,  and  the  number  and 
elaborateness  of  the  details. 

Hence,  that  elaborate  exhibition  of  style,  which  is  befitting 
many  public  buildings,  is  out  of  keeping  with  domestic  archi- 
tecture; hence,  much  of  the  intricate  ornamentation  which  is 
bestowed  on  town  residences,  is  not  called  for  in  counti-y 
houses ;  and  hence,  much  of  the  decoration  which  would  be  in 
good  taste  in  a  villa  or  country  house  of  the  first  class,  would 
be  unsuitable  and  out  of  keeping  in  a  cottage  or  plain  farm- 
house. Fitness  and  ti^tlifulness^  if  one  will  only  listen  to  the 
judgment  as  well  as  the  feelings,  will  speedily  bring  us  back  to 
sound  principles  on  this  head. 

Still,  even  in  very  modest  cottages,  there  are  certain  simple 
lines  and  forms,  indicative  of  pai-ticular  styles  of  building, 
which  may  be  introduced,  with  no  more  cost — provided  the 
workmen  who  execute  the  plans  are  familiar  with  them — than 
any  other  simple  lines  and  forms.  A  degree  of  cultivation 
is  necessary,  perhaps,  to  enable  us  to  appreciate  all  the  en- 
joyment which  grows  out  of  this  attention  to  details ;  but,  as 
it  is  a  large  and  enduring  source  of  pleasure,  it  should  receive 


366  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

attention  in  all  country  houses  of  considerable  importance. 
We  shall  therefore  ofler  a  few  hints,  under  two  separate  heads, 
for  the  interior  finishing  of  country  houses. 

I.  Cottage  Interiors.  Of  coui-se,  in  most  of  the  small 
cottages  in  this  country,  every  thing  like  decoration  in  the 
interioi-s  would  be  uncalled  for.  Still,  the  forms  of  the  windows 
and  doors,  the  lines  in  the  cornice  (if  there  is  one),  and  the 
mouldings  of  the  wainscot  or  wood-work,  will  give  an  agreeable 
impression,  if  they  show  that  the  style  indicated  on  the  outside 
is  consistently  carried  out  within, 

Tlie  manner  of  finishing  the  window  and  door  casings, 
inteiTially,  gives  as  much  character  to  the  interior  of  a  simple 
cottage  as  any  other  feature.  It  does  not  follow  that  windows 
need  be  pointed,  to  be  Gothic,  and  round  to  be  Italian,  though 
such  are  highly  characteristic  forms  of  windows  in  these  styles ; 
but  mouldings  comparatively  flat  and  broad  always  indicate  the 
finish  of  the  classical  styles,  and  mouldings  rather  thick  and 
projecting,  the  pointed  styles.  In  all  cottage  interiors,  the 
casings  or  architraves  of  the  windows  and  doors  should  be  very 
simple ;  but  they  may  be  made  correct  as  cheaply  as  incorrect. 
It  is  well,  therefore,  for  the  proprietor  to  know,  that  while  a 
cottage  in  the  Italian  or  bracketed  style  may  have  architraves 
or  casings  six  inches  wide,  with  a  plain  back  moulding  on  the 
outer  edge,  a  cottage  in  the  Gothic  style  should  not  have 
architraves  more  than  half  that  width — indeed,  the  effect  is 
better,  generally,  in  the  latter  style,  when  the  architrave  is  no 
wider  than  the  moulding  which  covers  it. 

Every  cai'penter  and  joiner  in  the  country  who  undertakes 
to  build  cottages,  should  provide  himself  with  j9?rt/?<"v«,  to  form 
mouldings  of  dilfcrent  styles,  since  it  is  as  easy  to  finish  the 


TREATMENT   OF  INTEKIOKS.  367 

wood-work  of  a  cottage  correctly  as  incorrectly.  There  are 
few  persons  about  building  cheap  cottages,  who  go  to  an 
architect  for  working  di'awings  of  the  interior — hence,  the 
greater  necessity  of  some  knowledge  and  attention  on  the  part 
of  those  mechanics  actually  constructing  such  cottages. 

The  most  satisfactory  wood-work  or  wainscot  for  the  inte- 
rior of  a  cottage  is  that  composed  of  the  native  wood  of  the 
district  where  the  house  is  built — such  as  maple,  birch,  ash, 
black-walnut,  or  oak.  This  requires  no  painting,  simply  a 
coat  or  two  of  varnish,  and  the  effect  is  excellent.  But,  in 
most  cases,  the  extra  cost  of  working  hard  wood  will  render 
its  employment  rare  in  economical  cottages.  As  a  substitute, 
however,  we  would  strongly  recommend  that  the  wood-work  be 
either  gi-ained,  in  imitation  of  these  woods,  or,  in  the  cheapest 
cottages,  stained^  to  have  the  same  effect  (see  page  184). 

The  great  advantage  which  grained  wood-work  has  over 
that  which  is  simply  painted  white  or  any  j)lain  neutral  tint  is, 
that  it  is  so  easily  kept  clean.  Tlie  surface  of  painted  wood  is 
always  somewhat  rough,  and  catches  dirt  readily,  and  white- 
lead  (or  other  light  shades  of  which  it  is  the  base)  always 
oxidizes  or  changes  color,  more  or  less.  The  grained  surface, 
on  the  contrary,  being  made  smooth  by  varnishing,  does  not 
readily  become  soiled,  and  when  it  does,  a  moment's  appKcation 
of  a  damp  cloth  will  make  all  clean  and  bright : — while,  if  the 
same  surface  were  painted  only,  it  would  require  frequent  and 
most  vigorous  scrubbing  by  the  house-maid,  to  restore  it  to  its 
original  condition.  Every  one  who  has  made  a  ti-ial  of  grained 
or  stained  and  varnished  wood-work,  will  agi'ee  with  us  that  it 
is  great  economy  of  time  and  labor  in  housekeeping,  while  the 
addition  to  the  cost  of  plain  painting  is  very  trifling. 


368  OOUNTEY   HOUSES. 

Ash,  maple,  birch,  and  oak  are  the  best  woods  to  imitate 
in  graining  a  cottage.  Black-wahiut,  if  not  too  dark,  has  an 
excellent  effect.  But  both  that  peculiarly  yellow  oak,  which 
many  painters  like  (and  which,  as  frequently  seen,  is  a  better 
imitation  of  molasses-candy  than  of  the  wood  of  a  tree),  as  well 
as  a  very  sombre  hue,  should  be  avoided  in  the  wood-work  of 
cottages — where  the  general  effect  should  be  lively  and 
cheerful. 

We  have  said  nothing  of  the  great  assistance  of  grained 
wood-work  in  making  a  room  look  fv/mished — with  but  little 
furniture — a  point,  sometimes,  of  no  trifling  importance. 

The  intericn'  walls  of  a  cottage  have  much  to  do  with  the 
impression  that  the  rooms  make  upon  the  eye.  There  are 
several  modes  of  treating  them,  but  the  most  common  are 
whitewashing  and  papering. 

Whitewashing.  Tlie  majority  of  cheap  cottages  have  the 
walls  of  all  the  rooms  finished  with  two  or  three  coats  of  lime 
and  sand,  and  aflerwards  whitewashed.  This  has  the  advan- 
tage of  cheapness,  and  in  cottages  tliat  are  severely  used,  an 
annual  whitewashing  is  the  readiest  and  most  complete  mode 
of  putting  all  in  order,  and  making  every  thing  "  sweet  and 
clean." 

Where  a  better  effect  than  that  of  a  mere  white  wall  is 
desired,  it  is  easily  obtained  by  coloring  the  ceiling  white,  and 
the  side  walls  of  a  delicate  neutral  tint — such  as  fawn,  or  drab, 
or  gray.  Tlie  addition  of  a  little  blue-black  (or  very  finely 
powdered  charcoal)  to  the  whitewash  will  ])roduce  a  gray  ;  add 
to  this  a  little  raw  umber,  and  the  result  is  a  drab ;  or  mix  a 
little  blue-black,  Indian  red,  and  yellow  ochre,  and  you  have  a 
fjiwn  color.    The   extra  cost  of  these  tints  for  a  room  14  feet 


TREATMENT   OF  INTEEIORS.  369 

square  will,  perhaps,  be  15  cents — and  the  superiority  of  effect, 
to  those  who  are  not  fond  of  the  intolerable  glare  of  white, 
is  incalculable. 

All  whitewash  is  improved  and  rendered  much  more  fixed 
or  permanent  for  interior  walls  by  the  addition  of  a  little  size 
just  before  using  it — say  two  quarts  of  thin  size  to  nearly  a 
paUfiil  of  whitewash.  The  best  size  for  this  pui-pose  is  made 
of  shreds  of  glove-leather,  but  any  clean  size  of  good  quality 
will  do  for  common  use. 

Papering.  "We  confess  a  sti-ong  partiality  for  the  use  of 
paper-hangings  for  covering  the  walls  of  all  cottages.  In  some 
countries — England,  for  example — papered  walls  are  objection- 
able, on  account  of  their  retaining  dampness  in  a  moist  climate. 
But  in  the  United  States,  there  is  no  complaint  of  this  kind. 

The  great  advantage  of  papering  the  walls,  lies  chiefly  in  the 
beauty  of  effect,  and  cheerful,  cottage-like  expression,  which 
may  be  produced  at  very  little  cost ;  in  its  lasting  from  half  a 
dozen  to  a  dozen  years  (depending  on  the  treatment  it  receives), 
when  it  is  easily  renewed — not  requiring  annual  attention,  like 
whitewashed  walls ;  and  lastly,  but  mainly,  in  the  enhanced 
architectural  effect  which  may  be  given  to  a  plain  room,  by 
covering  the  walls  with  paper  of  a  suitable  style. 

And  this  leads  us  to  remark,  that  within  a  couple  of  years, 
cheap  patterns  of  paper  have  been  introduced,  exactly  suited  to 
the  walls  of  cottages,  in  various  styles  of  architecture — such  as 
Gothic,  Italian,  Grecian,  etc.  Some  of  these  are  j)lain,  with 
only  panels  and  cornices  printed  on  them — giving  the  room  in 
which  they  are  placed  a  simple  and  elegant  effect ;  others 
present  the  appearance  of  the  graining  of  oak  wainscot,  and  are 
particularly  well  suited  to  the  entry  or  living-room  of  a  cottage, 

24 


370 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


or  to  wliole  interiors  of  cottages  in  the  Gothic  style ;  and 
others,  again,  are  tastefully  enriched  by  panelling  and  chaste 
aitistic  decoration.* 

If  these  papers  are  varnished  after  they  are  thoroughly  dry, 
they  may  be  washed  like  a  painted  wall,  without  injury,  so  that 
they  will  last  twenty  years  or  more  without  renewal.  And  some 
papers  are  now  made  with  a  surface  ready  varnished,  to  an- 
swer this  purpose. 

Tlie  mode  of  treating  cottage  walls  now  most  in  fovor,  is 
that  of  papering  the  principal  rooms  and  best  bed-rooms,  and 
whitewashing  the  kitchen,  inferior  passages,  and  bed-rooms. 

A  cornice  adds  very  considerably  to  the  architectural  charac- 
ter of  any  room,  though  it  is  seldom  or  never  introduced  in  cheap 
cottages,  except,  perhaps,  in  a  parlor  or  best  rooms.  When  the 
walls  are  papered,  its  place  is  in  a  good  degree  supplied  by 
the  border,  representing  a  coniice  on  the  paper  itself. 

Fig.  172  is  a  section 
(scale  \  inch  to  a  foot) 
P 


<. 5  in -> 

A  i<«.w>w  , ,.. .  -^?;5 — 


[Fig.  173.] 


of  a  simple  cornice  of 
plaster  for  cottages  in 
any  modified  Grecian 
or  Italian  forms;  Fig. 
173  is  suitable  for  cot- 


[Fig.  172.] 

tages  in  the  Gothic  style. 

Tlie  walls  of  cottages  are  seldom  painfi'd  in  oil,  because,  in 

•  In  selecting  papers  for  cottages  and  for  small  dwellings,  good  taste  will  lead  us 
to  reject  all  sliowy  and  striking  patterns,  however  beautiful  in  tliemselvcs — because 
they  are  out  of  keeping  witli  the  modest  character  of  the  cottage.  Simple  patterns 
— and  those,  if  possible,  which  have  seme  arcliitcctural  expression  accordant  with 
that  of  the  cottage — are  most  satisfactory. 


TREATMENT   OF   INTERIORS.  371 

order  to  do  this,  they  should  be  "hard-finished,"  that  is,  the 
last  coat  should  be  laid  on  with  plaster  of  Paris— common  lime 
and  sand  walls  absorbing  oil  colors  rapidly.  As  it  costs  less 
to  paper  a  room  with  tasteful  architectural  paper  than  to  hard- 
finish  it,  and  as  the  eflfect  of  the  paper  is  much  more  cheerful 
and  agreeable  in  a  small  room,  we  greatly  prefer  to  use  paper. 
When,  however,  hard  walls  are  introduced,  they  should  always  be 
accompanied  with  a  cornice— both  to  heighten  the  character  of 
the  room  architecturally,  and  to  lessen  the  baldness  of  plain  walls. 
The  floors  of  the  better  cottages  in  this  comitry— at  least,  in 
the  Northern  States — are  universally  covered  with  carpet  or 
matting.  A  very  good  effect  is  produced,  especially  in  the 
entry  and  living-room,  by  using  narrow  matched  floor-plank,  of 
good  quality,  and  staining  every  other  plank  of  a  dark  color, 
like  black-walnut.  This  may  be  done  with  diluted  sulphuric 
acid,  or  with  the  stain  mentioned  in  page  184. 

Afterwards,  give  the  floor  a  coat  of  linseed  oil,  and  it  will 
have  a  good  appearance,  and  save  the  cost  of  oil-cloths  or 
carpets. 

It  will  be  seen  that  an  agreeable  efiect  in  cottage  interiors  is 
to  be  produced  chiefly  by  arrangement  of  colors  and  the 
selection  of  furniture.  Still,  as  we  have  before  remarked  that 
a  few  simple  lines  may  indicate  a  certain  style  of  architecture, 
it  is  plain  that  the  most  satisfactory  cottage  interior  will  be 
that  in  which  there  is  an  obvious  reason  as  well  as  beauty  in 
the  preference  given  to  certain  lines  and  forms,  which  appear 
there.  It  not  only  shows  that  select  forms  and  lines  have  been 
chosen,  but  also  foi-ms  and  lines  expressive  of  certain  acknowl- 
edged modes  of  beautiful  composition. 
We  may  add  another  word  as  to  the  an-angement  of  colors. 


372  COUNTKY   UOU8E8. 

The  best  effect  in  rooms  of  small  size  (or,  indeed,  of  any  size) 
is  produced  by  having  the  ceiling  lightest,  the  side  walls  a 
little  darker,  the  wood-work  a  shade  darker  still,  and  tlie  carpet 
darkest  of  all. 

There  are  few  pei^sons  living  in  cottages  who  can  afford  to 
indulge  a  taste  for  pictures.  But  there  are,  nevertheless,  many 
in  this  country,  who  can  afford  engravings  or  plaster  casts,  to 
decorate  at  least  one  room  in  tlie  house.  Nothing  gives  an 
air  of  greater  refinement  to  a  cottage  than  good  prints  or 
engravings  hung  upon  its  parlor  walls.  In  selecting  these, 
avoid  the  trashy,  colored  show-prints  of  the  ordinary  kind,  and 
choose  engravings  or  lithographs,  after  pictures  of  celebrity  by 
ancient  or  modem  masters.*  The  former  please  but  for  a 
day,  but  the  latter  will  demand  our  admiration  forever.  Next 
to  prints  of  this  kind,  medallion  casts,  in  plaster,  of  celebrated 
antique  subjects — one  or  two  feet  in  diameter — are  fine  objects 
to  hang  upon  the  walls,  and  may  now  be  had  in  the  cities  for  a 
small  sum.  It  is  no  mean  or  trifling  part  of  our  worship  of  the 
Deity  to  cultivate  a  daily  love  for  those  beautiful  forms  in  art 
which  human  genius  has  revealed  and  made  permanent  for  us, 
the  study  of  which  will,  next  to  a  higher  worship,  most  tend  to 
purify  our  hearts  and  lives. 

As  regards  the  furniture  of  cottages,  it  can  scarcely  be  too 
simple,  too  chaste,  too  unj)retending  in  il^  character.  It  has 
been  the  crying  sin  of  all  cottage  interioi*s,  mitil  very  lately, 
that  they  were  filled  with  cockney  furniture — fine  mahogany 
chairs   and   sofas — the  same   patterns  which   the  city  cabinet- 

*  Messrs.  Goupel,  Vibert  tfc  Co.,  Broadway,  New  York,  offer  the  largest  collection 
of  fine  prints  in  the  country. 


TREATMENT  OF  INTERIOKS.  373 

makers  supplied  their  town  customers  with.  It  is  too  fine  and 
too  to^vn-bred  for  amiable  association  with  country  lives  and 
habits.  We  congratulate  the  cabinet-makers  on  the  new  light 
which  has  dawned  upon  them  in  the  matter  of  "  cottage 
furniture" — which  is  now  afforded  in  all  our  principal  cities,  of 
pretty  forms  and  at  moderate  prices — so  that  one  can  furnish 
a  cottage  in  the  country,  at  short  notice,  without  having  it  look 
as  if  it  had  been  stufied  with  chairs  and  tables  sent  up  from  a 
town  house  five  times  its  size. 

There  is  still  another  featm'e  in  the  interior  of  cottages  which 
has  a  great  deal  to  do  with  bestowing  an  au*  of  taste  and  refine- 
ment on  its  best  apartments.     We  mean  window-curtcmis. 

Xext  to  cai'pets,  which  are  universal  in  aU  but  the  dwellings 
of  the  very  poor  in  America,  nothing  "furnishes"  a  room  so 
much  as  curtains  to  the  windows ;  and  this,  not  merely  because 
they  take  away  from  the  bareness  of  plain  casings  and  subdue 
the  glare  of  light,  but  because  there  are  always  pleasing  and 
graceful  lines  in  the  folds  of  hanging  drapery — even  of  tlie 
plainest  materials.  Although  the  drapery  of  cottage  windows 
comes  more  especially  within  the  province  of  feminine  taste 
than  within  that  of  the  architect,  we  shall  nevertheless  venture 
a  hint  or  two  on  the  subject,  if  only  to  lead  them  to  believe  that 
it  is  not  all  a  matter  of  fancy.  The  French,  among  all  people, 
have  the  best  taste  in  the  management  of  curtains,  because  they 
have  both  a  natural  and  a  cultivated  taste  for  dress  and  the 
arrangement  of  drapery.  And  we  notice  a  growing  develop- 
ment in  the  same  direction  in  our  countrywomen. 

In  the  first  place,  we  may  remark,  that  as  all  country  houses 
are  furnished  with  shutter-blinds,  either  fixed  to  the  outside  or 
the  inside  of  the  windows,  and  as  coolness  and  airiness  are  the 


374  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

most  desirable  things  from  May  to  November,  curtains  are  little 
used  or  to  be  desired  in  summer.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
coldness  of  the  air,  and  bright  sun  of  winter,  render  curtains 
particularly  grateful  for  protection  from  cun-ents  of  air  and 
from  glare  of  light.  For  the  plainest  cottages,  therefore,  one 
would  use  chintz,  which  may  be  had  for  a  few  cents  a  yard, 
and  which,  if  selected  with  regard  to  harmonizing  in  color 
with  the  carpet  and  walls,  will  always  produce  a  pretty  eifect, 
at  very  little  cost.  Printed  cottons  are  also  manufactm-ed  for 
this  purpose,  with  separate  bordei*s,  that  may  be  sewed  on,  to 
heighten  the  effect.  For  a  better  kind  of  curtain,  moreens,  of 
single  colore — bro-svns,  drabs,  crimsons,  or  blues — may  be  used, 
which,  though  more  expensive,  are  more  dm-able  than  cotton. 

The  simplest  and  most  architectural  mode  of  an-anging 
cottage  curtains  is,  to  hang  them  from  a  projecting  cornice  of 
wood,  fixed  to  the  top  of  the  window.  Tliis  should  project  a 
few  inches  from  *the  wall,  so  as  to  allow  the  drapery  or  valance 
which  forms  the  upper  part  of  the  curtain  to  be  tacked  to  its 
inner  side — or,  which  is  better,  to  a  narrow  strip  of  wood, 
which  is  itself  tacked  to  tlie  inside  of  tlio  cornice.  Tiiis 
cornice  should  be  formed  of  a  moulding  similar  to  that  v\'  the 
room,  or,  in  other  words,  it  should  have  a  Gothic  moulding 
for  a  Gothic  cottage,  or  a  Grecian  moulding  for  a  dwelling  in 
any  classical  style.  If  the  wood-woi-k  of  the  cottage  is  stained 
or  grained,  in  imitation  of  oak,  black-walnut,  or  any  other 
wood,  then  the  cornice  of  the  curtain  should  correspond  to  it. 
or,  otherwise,  to  the  color  of  the  wood-work  of  the  room. 
Tlie  sketch,  Fig.  174,  shows  a  Gothic  window-curtain,  in 
which  a  is  the  cornice,  h  the  drapery  or  valance,  c  the 
cm-tains.     In  order  to  change  the  style  to  Italian,  it  will  only 


TREATMENT   OF   INTERIORS. 


3Y5 


[Fig.  174.] 


be  necessary  to  use  a  carved 
or  classical  moulding  for  the 
wooden  cornice,  and  cut  the 
lower  part  of  the  drapery,  5, 
in  a  round  arch,  instead  of  a 
pointed  one ;  or,  if  the  cottage 
is  Grecian,  then  the  cornice 
sliould  show  Grecian  mould- 
ings, and  the  lower  edge  of  the 
drajDery  should  extend  two- 
thirds  or  all  the  way  across  in 
a  horizontal  line. 

The  cornice  itself  may  be 
fastened  to  the  head  of  the  window-casing  with  screws,  so  as 
to  be  taken  down  at  pleasm-e,  and  the  curtains,  c,  may  either 
be  fastened  to  the  inner  side  of  it  with  tacks,  or,  which  is 
better,  they  may  run  on  a  small  rod  by  brass  rings,  all  concealed 
by  the  cornice. 

Inside  roller-hlinds  are  very  useful  in  inany  situations,  to 
soften  the  light  in  apartments,  when  the  windows  are  much 
exposed  to  the  sun.  The  best  blinds  of  this  description  are 
made  of  plain  brown  or  drab  linen.  Kothing  can  be  more 
vulgar  and  tawdiy  for  a  country  house  than  most  of  the 
transparencies  and  painted  cm-tains  which  we  sometimes  see 
used  in  this  way.  If  they  are  badly  painted,  as  is  generally  the 
case,  they  are  only  an  offence  to  cultivated  taste;  if  they  are 
weU  painted,  with  copies  of  landscapes,  etc.,  they  are  not  good, 
in  the  sense  of  pictures,  while  they  only  hide,  nine  times  in  ten, 
a  more  interesting  view  of  the  real  landscape  without.  Sucli 
specimens  of  the  arts  as  these  may  be  tolerated  in  towns,  as 


376  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

tliey  awaken  a  sentiment  of  nature  in  the  midst  of  brick  walls, 
but  are  unwortliy  of  the  least  toleration  in  a  countiy  house. 

II.  Villa  iNTEitioiiS.  Coimtry  houses  are  often  Iniilt  in  a 
plain  and  simple  manner,  which,  without  showing  a  strongly 
marked  architectm-al  style,  either  upon  the  exterior  or  interior, 
yet  produce  a  very  ])leasing  effect,  through  a  general  preva- 
lence of  Incasing  lines  and  hamionious  colors.  This  is  more 
especially  the  case,  if  there  is  manifested  throughout  an  essen- 
tially i-ural  and  home-like  chai-acter. 

Of  course,  the  larger  number  of  our  country  houses  will 
come  under  this  denomination — because  it  is  rarely  the  case  in 
any  countiy,  that  rural  buildings  exhibit  elaborate  architectural 
style.  It  requires  the  hand  of  the  artist  to  produce  and  carry 
out,  in  all  the  details  of  an  edifice,  that  peculiar  treatment  of 
lines  and  forms  throughout  all  the  principal  featm'es  of  a 
building  which  is  called  style  ;  and,  of  course,  the  larger  number 
of  country  houses  are  built  without  the  aid  of  an  architect,  and, 
while  they  may  be  tasteful,  expressive,  and  pictm'esque,  they 
are  rarely  faultless  specimens  of  style. 

It  cannot  be  denied,  however,  that  there  is  a  certain  chann 
m  style,  whether  it  is  applied  to  the  composition  of  a  book  or  a 
house.  The  same  facts  or  materials  shall  be  so  treated  by  one 
author  or  architect  as  to  be  confused  and  unsatisfactory,  or 
tame  and  insipid,  while  they  shall  coinc  from  the  hands  of 
another  endowed  Mitli  a  freshness,  beauty,  power,  and  com- 
pleteness, that  render. tliLMu  capable  of  awakening  emotions  of 
continual  delight.  And  as  there  are,  among  writers,  the  dra- 
matic, the  serious,  the  narrative,  and  the  didactic  styles,  each 
peculiarly  adapted  to  the  expression  of  certain  modes  of 
thought  and  life,  so  there   are   the  Grecian,  the   Italian,  the 


TREATMENT   OF   INTERIORS.  3Y7 

Gothic,  the  Romanesque,  and  other  styles — each  peculiarly  capa- 
ble of  manifesting  certain  mental  temperaments  or  organizations, 
or  of  harmonizing  with  certain  tastes  in  the  life  of  the  individual. 

When  one  builds  a  simple  and  plain  country  house,  in  which 
there  is  no  attempt  at  architectural  style,  good  sense  and  good 
taste  are  at  least  never  violated.  But,  unfortunately,  nothing 
is  more  common  than  the  love  of  imitation ;  and  when  either 
persons  of  uncultivated  tastes,  or  ignorant  architects,  attempt 
to  decorate  dwellings  after  certain  styles  which  they  have 
somewhere  seen,  and,  perhaps,  make  a  jumble  of  two  or  three 
styles  in  the  same  building,  a  result  is  produced  as  incongmous 
as  that  of  hearing  a  friend  read  alternate  pages  of  Shakspeare, 
Prescott,  and  Jonathan  Slick.  The  great  charm  which  we 
find  in  a  house  where  beauty  and  convenience  are  combined 
with  that  kind  of  artistic  treatment  which  is  called  style,  is,  that 
the  whole  has  a  certain  ^mity  of  design,^  which  shows  that,  from 
the  smallest  to  the  greatest  feature,  all  has  been  the  result  of 
one  harmonious  plan ;  that  it  has  been  produced  by  a  mind 
working  consistently  throughout,  adjusting  and  arranging  all 
with  a  purpose,  both  of  beauty  and  utility — not  by  a  mind  full 
of  odd  caprices  and  whimsical  fancies — sometimes  producing 
good  efiects,  and  sometimes  detestable  combinations. 

The  difference  between  architectural  style,  and  2.  fashion  of 
finishing  and  fitting  up  apartments,  cannot,  perhaps,  be  better 
or  more  briefly  pointed  out  than  it  has  already  been  done  by  a 
clever  French  artist* — who  has,  in  the  following  words,  indi- 
cated clearly  that  style  is  that  decoration  of  a  subject,  based 
upon  its  internal  spirit  or  organization;  fashion,  on  the  other 

*  Quatremfere  de  Quincy. 


378  COUNTEY   HOUSES. 

hand,  transferring  into  its  fancy  fur  the  liour,  wluitever  falls  .n 
its  way,  without  regard  to  its  internal  character. 

"  Constrnction  is  to  buildings  what  bones  are  to  the  liuuian* 
body ;  it  ought  to  be  embellished,  without  being  entirely 
concealed.  It  is  the  construction  which,  according  to  the 
climate,  the  comitry,  the  sort  of  edifice,  gives  the  motive  for  the 
ornaments ;  and,  if  this  connection  does  not  appear,  the  whole 
is  vicious.  The  execution  of  the  work,  whatever  may  be  its 
extent  and  importance,  will  have  no  efiect  on  the  mind 
[judgment],  if  the  construction  has  not  dictated  the  embellish- 
ment; if  the  fii-st  form  does  not  seem  in  accordance  with  its 
accessories;  and  if,  in  short,  it  is  perceived  that  two  wills, 
without  harmonizing  together,  have  operated  in  the  execution 
of  the  work." 

Hence  the  folly  of  adopting,  internally,  the  ornaments  which 
belong  to  a  pei-pendicular  style,  as  the  Gothic,  in  finishing  flie 
rooms  of  a  villa  which  is  built  in  a  horizontal  style,  like  the 
Grecian.  Reason  teaches  ns  that  the  construction  and  the 
decoration  are  at  variance,  and  that  the  treatment  is  false. 

Out  of  this  perception  of  the  unity  of  purpose  in  the  builder 
or  designer,  grows  also  the  pleasure  we  often  experience,  even 
in  comparatively  simple  cottages,  where  we  find  every  line  and 
form,  however  plain  and  impretcnding,  has  been  selected  with 
that  nice  sense  of  adaptation  and  fitness  to  each  other  which 
makes  a  complete  and  harmonious  whole. 

Considering  this  branch  of  the  subject  as  one  of  importance, 
we  therefore  propose  to  ofier  a  few  suggestions — sufllcient  to 
give  the  novice  some  general  ideas  of  the  treatment  of  interioi-s 
in  difierent  styles.  Pm-sued  into  detail,  this  part  of  our  subject 
is  an  almost  endless  one  in  itself.    But  we  do  not  intend,  to 


ultj^,;  ■  .i^ 


^ 


Fig.  17;-.. 
ri.AIN   INTKRIOR,  fiRECIAN  STVI. 


f^ 


I'lf.   170 
lilMNt;    KiiuM-ITAI.I AN  SI'M.I, 


P  :):f' 


TREAl-ilENT   OF   IXTEKIORS.  379 

dwell  mimitely  upon  it,  partly  because,  to  carry  out  a  style  in 
an  elaborate  manner,  requires  more  study  than  the  amateur  or 
proprietor,  for  whom  this  work  is  chiefly  wi'itten,  can  gire  it ; 
and,  partly,  because  we  think  those  simple  modifications  of  the 
different  styles  which  are  easily  understood,  are  the  most 
suitable  for  the  interiors  of  country  houses. 

The  Grecian  Style.  This  style  is  almost  too  familiar  to  the 
eyes  of  om*  readers  to  need  any  explanation.  Fig.  175  is  the 
interior  of  a  large  parlor  in  a  country  house  in  this  style — 
finished  in  a  very  plain  but  characteristic  manner.  The 
unbroken  horizontal  cornice,  and  the  prevalence  of  straight 
lines,  with  a  few  bold  classical  mouldings,  are  what  chiefly 
mark  the  style  here.  The  ceiling  is  often  left  wholly  plain,  or 
ornamented  with  a  centre-piece  of  foliage ;  but  throwing  it 
into  panels,  indicative  of  the  construction,  in  the  way  sho^v^l  in 
the  figm-e,  relieves  the  bare  expanse  in  a  large  room  very 
happily.  To  go  a  step  further,  the  ceiling  may  be  intersected 
at  right  angles,  to  throw  the  few  long  panels  into  numerous 
square  ones,  and  a  still  higher  step  would  be  to  decorate  the 
borders  of  the  panels  with  Grecian  mouldings. 

The  arrangement  of  the  pictures,  with  reference  to  the 
doors  and  windows,  in  this  apartment,  is  indicative  of  the  style. 
A  very  simple  and  expressive  efiect  is  produced,  where  there 
are  no  pictm-es,  by  dividing  the  wall  in  panels  (precisely  in 
the  fonns  indicated  by  the  frames  of  the  pictures),  either  by 
forming  the  panels  in  the  plaster,  or  painting  panels  in  the 
walls  themselves.  As  the  latter  is  a  very  simple,  effective,  and 
cheap  mode,  it  is  that  usually  adopted  in  country  houses.  In 
particular  rooms,  where  a  lighter  or  more  elegant  decoration 
is  wanted,  the  centre  of  each  panel  may  be  filled  with  a  has- 


380  OOUNTKT  HOUSES. 

relief,  a  classical  device,  or  a  gi-oup  of  flowers  painted  on  the 
wall. 

When,  however,  decoration  is  carried  to  this  length  upon 
the  walls,  the  architraves  of  the  doors  must  also  be  correspond- 
ingly enriched,  so  that  all  portions  shall  be  in  keeping. 

The  Grecian  moulding — such  as  the  ovolo,  cyma,  covetto, 
torus,  astragal,  etc. — are  familiar  to  all  builders,  and  need  not 
be  ftu'ther  noticed  here.  Tlie  peculiar  characteristic  of  the 
Grecian  mouldings  is,  that  they  are  formed  of  portions  of  the 
ellij^sis.  Some  of  the  Grecian  ornaments,  as  the  egg  and  dart 
moulding,  and  the  classic  honeysuckle,  stand  alone  for  artistic 
beauty,  though  their  indefinite  multiplication  at  the  present  day, 
in  all  manner  of  buildings,  has  somewhat  deadened  the  eye  to 
their  tine  proportions. 

The  Italian  Style.  The  new  element  of  beauty  introduced 
into  the  style  called  Italian  is  the  use  of  the  circle,  subordinate 
to,  and  contrasting  with,  the  horizontal  or  straiglit  line.  Tliis  is 
seen,  chiefly,  in  the  round  arch,  which  appears  in  the  doors  and 
windows.  Tliere  is  also  far  greater  latitude  and  variety  in  the 
ornaments  of  the  diff'erent  modes  of  the  Italian  architecture — 
including  the  Florentine,  Venetian,  and  French  under  this 
head — than  in  the  purely  classical  style.  It  addresses  itself 
more  to  the  feelings  and  the  senses,  and  less  to  the  reason  or 
judgment,  than  the  Grecian  style,  and  it  is  also  capable  of  a 
variety  of  ex|)ression  (piite  unknown  to  the  architecture  of 
the  five  ordere.  Hence,  we  think  it  far  better  suited  to  s}nn- 
bolize  the  variety  of  refined  cultm-e  and  accomplishment  which 
belongs  to  modern  civilization  than  almost  any  other  style. 

A  room  in  the  Italian  style,  see  Fig.  176,  may  be  compara- 
tively simple,  or  it  may  pennit  the  utmost  luxury  of  decoration, 


TKEATMENT   OF   INTEEIORS.  381 

as  in  some  of  the  modern  French  examples,  known  as  the  Louis 
XY.  or  Louis  XIV.  styles.  In  our  example,  the  style  is  recog- 
nized in  the  large  arched  opening  of  the  bay-window,  in  the 
secondary  treatment  of  the  arch  in  the  doors,  in  the  mouldings, 
and  in  the  coved  ceiling.  The  interlacing  or  trellis  stucco- 
work  on  the  ceiling,  gives  richness  to  that  part  of  the  wall,  hut 
it  is  more  frequently  omitted,  and  the  ceilmg  only  diversified 
by  a  central  gi-oup  of  foliage. 

A  beautiful  featm-e,  and  a  strictly  appropriate  one  in  the 
decoration  of  Italian  columns,  is  the  introduction  of  works  of 
art.  Among  these,  bas-reliefs  and  vases  may  be  considered  as 
strictly  architectural.  Circular  bas-reliets,  well  cast  in  plaster, 
and  inserted  in  the  walls  (like  that  over  the  sideboard.  Fig. 
176),  afibrd  a  fine  mode  of  giving  interest  and  beauty  to  bare 
walls  at  little  cost;  and  where  more  means  are  used,  a  very 
noble  species  of  decoration  is  obtained,  by  extending  a  contin- 
uous bas-relief,  as  a  frieze,  18  inches  or  2  feet  wide,  just  below 
the  cornice,  and  quite  round  the  room.* 

Yases  supported  on  brackets  against  the  wall  have  also  a 
rich  effect,  and  many  beautiful  forms  in  Italian,  Etruscan,  or 
Eoman  taste  may  be  had  now  at  moderate  cost,  either  in  metal, 
porcelain,  or  terra-cotta.  Many  forms  of  these  may  now  be 
had  of  terra-cotta— a  material  not  only  cheap,  but  especially 
suitable  for  country  houses,  in  design  and  execution.  Among 
these  we  may  notice  hanging  flower-baskets,  as  shown  in 
the  large  window  of  Fig.  176,  and  a  larger  view  of  which  is 


*  A  complete  set  of  the  cast  of  Thorwaldsen's  famous  "Triumph  of  Alexander," 
one  of  the  finest  things  in  modem  art,  forming  the  entablature  to  a  room  18  by  20 
feet,  may  be  had  at  the  present  time  in  New  York  for  about  8150. 


382 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


given  in  Fig.  177.  For 
bay-^vindows,  these  arc 
admirably  adapted,  and 
their  effect,  when  filled 
with  flowers,  is  extremely 
pretty. 

Of  the  modern  French 
style,  now  so  mncli  ad- 
mired and  so  much  adopt- 
ed in   om*  to%vn    houses, 

[Fig.  177.    Hanging  Terra-Cotta  Basket]  WC    do   UOt    offcr   any   SpC- 

cimens,  because,  except,  perhaps,  for  a  lady's  boudoir  or  a 
drawing-room,  we  are  not  greatly  in  favor  of  any  considerable 
use  of  it  in  countiy  houses.  It  is  a  modification  of  the 
Italian,  distinguished  by  curved  and  flowing  lines,  and  a  profu- 
sion of  delicate  ornaments  in  relief,  producing  a  very  ornate 
and  elegant  effect,  but  rather  too  ornate  to  be  strictly  in 
keeping  with  rural  architectiu-e.  When  French  furniture  is 
introduced,  the  apartments  should  be  sufficiently  enriched  to 
correspond  with  it  in  character. 

Tlie  mouldings  used  in  interior  finishing  of  the  Italian  style 
arc  sections  of  the  circle,  and,  having  more  relief  than  the 
flatter  mouldings  of  the  Grecian  style,  are  capal)le  of  bolder 
effect,  even  when  used  in  plain  and  simple  forms. 

The  Gothic  Style.  The  distinguishing  characteristics  of  this 
style  in  interior  finish  arc  the  prevalence  of  perpendicular  lines, 
and  the  introduction,  in  all  important  openings,  of  the  pointed 
arch,  together  with  the  use  of  the  bold  and  deep  mouldings 
that  belong  to  its  ornamental  portions. 

There  are  several  modifications  of  the  pointed  or  Gothic 


TREATilENT  OF   INTERIOES. 


383 


style.  The  ecclesiastical  Gothic,  for  example,  Math  its  high, 
pointed  arch,  the  Tudor  Gothic,  wdth  a  low,  flat  arch,  and  later 
modifications,  in  which  most  of  the  window  and  door  openings 
are  square-headed,  either  with  the  low  spandril  of  the  Tudor 
arch,   placed  beneath   it,  or  the  style  only  indicated  by  the 


[Fig.  178.    Interior  in  a  simple  Gothic  Style.] 

mouldings.  In  Fig.  178,  the  bay-window  opening  at  the  end 
of  the  parlor,  in  this  style,  shows  the  Tudor  arch,  and  the  side 
window,  a  square-headed  window,  with  the  style  recognized 
by  the  introduction  of  the  arch  in  the  wood-work  of  the 
architi-ave.  To  our  own  feeling,  there  is  more  domesticity  in 
the  square-headed  window,  and  we  would  therefore  only  inti'o- 
duce  the  arch,  in  the  doors  and  windows  of  private  houses,  in 
particular  cases,  when  the  stronger  indication  of  style  is  needed 
to  give  spirit  to  the  composition. 

The  ceilings  of  rooms  in  the  Gothic  style  are  not  treated  as 
if  supported  on   horizontal  beams,  as  in  the  classical  styles, 


384 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


because  the  principle  of  support  is  supposed  to  be  perpendicular. 
Hence,  the  ceiling  is  traversed  by  ribs^  running  down  and 
resting  on  brackets,  so  as  to  convey  the  idea  of  vertical  support. 
The  cornice  itself  is  not  deep  and  heavy,  as  in  the  Italian  or 
Grecian  style,  but  similar  to  the  ribs — being  formed,  in  fact, 
by  a  continuation  of  the  same  or  corresponding  mouldings 
round  the  angles  of  the  ceiling.  Figs.  178  and  179  are  both 
examples  of  the  usual  treatment  of  Gothic  rooms  in  this  style. 
The  former  is  only  a  sketch,  for  illustration,  of  a  neat  and 
simple  style  of  finishing  the  parlor  of  a  substantial  house.  Fig. 
179  represents  the  interior  of  the  drawing-room  at  Kenwood, 
the  seat  of  J.  Kathbone,  Esq.,  near  Albany,  New  York. 


A 

[Fig.  180.    Gothic  Ceiling.] 

A  very  characteristic  and  excellent  mode  of  treating  ceUings 
in  this  style  is  shown  in  Fig.  180,  which  is  a  sketch  from  the 
rooms  on  the  principal  floor  of  the  residence  of  the  author. 
The  ceiling,  instead  of  being  flat,  is  formed  here  by  two 
inclined  planes,  rising  10  inches  from  the  sides  to  the  centre — 


Fig.   179. 
DRAWING  ROOM  AT  KKNUiviii,  (JoTFIH     .-JTVMv 


Fir    ]-:> 

INTKRIon   IN    IHi:   M.H.MAN   ST\i.i; 


p.  m. 


TREATMENT   OF   INTERIORS. 


385 


a  form  easily  and  cheaply  produced,  by  fining-down  from  the 
beams  above  by  pieces  of  plank,  sawn  in  the  form  of  a  wedge. 
On  these  the  laths  are  nailed,  and  the  ribs  run  in  plaster  in  the 
usual  way.  The  fonn  of  the  rib  is  shown  at  A.  The  cost  of 
a  ceiling  in  this  way  does  not  exceed  that  with  a  common 
heavy  Grecian  cornice. 

The  superior  effect  of  this  ceiling  arises,  partly,  from  its 
canying  the  eye  upwards,  and  thus  recognizing  the  principle 
of  perpendicular  rather  than  horizontal  support,  as  well  as 
causing  it  to  appear  higher  than  it  really  is ;  and,  also,  from 
a  certain  any  lightness,  found  in  a  ceiling  in  which  the  lines 
rise,  however  slightly,  but  never  in  one  entirely  flat. 

The  ceilings  of  bed-rooms  in  country  houses  in  this  style  are, 
for  the  most  part,  flat,  and  only  relieved  by  a  simple  Gothic 
cornice. 


[Fig.  181.    Interior  of  Bed-room  in  the  Gothic  Style.] 

25 


386  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

In  Fig.  181  (from  a  sketch  by  Mr.  Davis),  a  more  charac- 
teristic mode  of  finishing  bed-rooms  in  the  upper  story  of 
country  houses  is  shown.  In  this,  the  f«>nr  ribs  shown  are 
the  raftere  of  the  roof,  planed,  and  stained  and  varnished. 
Between  these  rafters  the  space  (in  fact,  the  under  side  of  the 
roof)  is  lathed  and  plastered  like  the  side  w^alls.  Over  the 
highest  part  of  the  ceiling,  a  space  in  the  peak  of  the  garret  is 
cut  off  by  horizontal  pieces  of  timber,  matching  the  rafters — 
between  which,  the  lath  and  plaster  ceiling  is  fonned  in  the 
usual  way. 

This  gives  a  lofty  bed-room,  combining  spaciousness  and 
good  effect  with  a  fine  cu'culation  of  air.  In  order  to  make 
such  a  room  thoroughly  cool,  it  is  only  necessary  that  a  void 
space  should  be  left  between  the  ceiling  and  the  sheathing  of 
the  roof.  There  is  also  the  void  space  in  the  ]>oak  of  the  roof, 
above  the  ceiling,  communicating  with  the  open  air  by  a  small 
round  opening  or  window,  just  under  the  apex  of  the  project- 
ing eaves.  In  building  the  house,  carry  up  in  the  walls, 
from  the  cellar  to  this  hollow  space  in  the  peak  (at  the  end 
opposite  to  the  opening  under  the  eaves),  an  air-flue,  S  or  10 
inches  in  diameter,  and  tlie  ventilation  which  will  constantly 
go  on,  will  maintain,  in  such  a  bed-room,  a  cool  and  agreeable 
temperature  at  all  times — provided,  also,  there  is  a  register  or 
valve  in  the  side  wall,  near  the  ceiling,  to  allow  the  heated  air 
of  the  room  to  pass  into  the  space  in  the  peak  of  the  garret. 

Good  examples  of  this  mode  of  treating  bed-rooms  may  be 
seen  in  the  very  complete  villa  of  Mr.  Harold,  at  Bridgeport, 
Ct,  built  from  the  designs  of  Mr.  Davis. 

A  most  satisftictory  and  picturestpie  mode  of  treating  the  ceil- 
ings of  the  entrance-hall,  dining-room,  and,  indeed,  any  of  the 


TREATMENT  OF  INTERIORS.  387 

plainer  portions  of  a  country  house  in  tlie  Gothic  style,  is  that 
of  boldly  showing  the  beams  which  support  the  floor  above — 
rendering  them  somewhat  ornamental  by  planing,  champfering, 
and  beading  them  on  the  under  side,  and  supporting  them, 
where  they  join  the  side  walls,  by  suitable  and  characteristic 
brackets.  The  beams  themselves,  if  not  of  oak,  should  be 
stained  and  varnished,  to  resemble  this  or  some  other  native 
wood.  The  space  between  the  beams  may  be  either  wrouo-ht, 
so  as  to  show  the  floor  above,  also  stained  and  varnished,'  or  it 
may  be  lathed  and  plastered,  and  painted  of  some  pleasing 
neutral  tone,  to  contrast  with  the  beams ;  or  the  plaster  surface 
may  be  grained  in  oil,  so  as  to  resemble  oak  boards.  This 
kind  of  treatment,  which  shows  the  construction  in  a  bold  and 
massive  manner,  is  not  only  peculiarly  picturesque  and  rustic 
in  character,  and,  therefore,  in  far  better  keeping  with  many 
country  houses  than  highly  elaborate  ceilings  of  stucco,  but  it  is 
also,  if  judiciously  treated  by  a  builder  who  understands  how  to 
use  his  materials,  by  far  the  cheapest  of  all  modes  of  finishing 
interiors,  and  one  which  only  a  picturesque  style,  like  the 
Gothic,  or  some  of  its  rustic  variations,  will  readily  permit. 

Perhaps  the  error  into  which  interior  decorators  are  most  apt 
to  fall,  in  the  treatment  of  apartments  in  this  style,  is  to  render 
them  too  elaborately  Gothic.  In  some  houses,  we  see  every 
thing  tending  to  the  Mgh^ointed  m^ch  (only  fit  for  churches), 
and  bristling  with  crockets.  A  more  subdued  and  quiet 
manifestation  is  in  better  keeping  with  domestic  architecture, 
and,  especially,  with  rural  dwellings. 

A  great  beauty  of  this  style,  when  properly  treated,  is  the 
home-like  expression  which  it  is  capable  of,  in  the  hands  of  a 
person  of  taste.     This  ai-ises,  mainly,  from  the  chaste  and  quiet 


388  COUNTRY  iiorcrs. 

colors  of  the  dark  wood-work,  the  grave,  though  rich  hue  of 
the  carpets,  walls,  etc.,  and  the  essentially  fireside  character 
which  the  apartments  receive  from  this  kind  of  treatment. 
The  prevailing  character  of  the  Grecian  and  Italian  styles 
partakes  of  the  gay  spirit  of  the  drawing-room  and  social  life ; 
that  of  the  Gothic,  of  the  quiet,  domestic  feeling  of  the  library 
and  the  family  circle.  Tliose  who  love  shadow,  and  the 
sentiment  of  antiquity  and  repose,  will  find  most  pleasure  in 
the  quiet  tone  which  prevails  in  the  Gothic  style ;  as  those  who 
love  sunshine,  and  the  enjoyment  of  the  present  moment,  will 
prefer  the  classical  or  modern  styles. 

Tlie  mouldings  of  the  Gothic  style  are  thick  and  massive, 
and  composed  of  many  members,  aflfording  great  variety  and 
force  of  shadow.  Trefoils  and  quatrefoils  are  the  simplest  and 
most  familiar  forms  of  tracery  for  decorating  all  spaces  formed 
by  the  intersection  of  right  lines  or  angles ;  and  "  roses," 
"Tudor  flowei-s,"  and  a  great  variety  of  foliage  and  flower 
forms,  richly  and  picturesquely  treated,  are  among  the  predomi- 
nant decorations  of  this  style  of  architecture. 

The  Romanesque  Style.  Under  this  head  we  include  the 
Lombard  or  early  Italian,  the  round-arch  style  of  the  Rhine, 
and  the  Norman  style  of  the  North  of  Europe.  They  are  all 
variations  of  revived  Eoman  architectm-e,  and  all  bear  the 
impress  of  the  Roman  arch  as  their  type  form.  This  style 
preceded  the  Gothic  in  its  date,  and  undoubtedly  owed  its 
origin  to  tlie  use  of  the  materials  of  ancient  classical  art,  culled 
by  a  late  generation  from  the  splendid  remains  of  decayed 
Rome.  The  main  difference  between  the  Lombard  or  South  of 
Europe  Romanesque,  and  the  Norman  or  Romanesque  of  the 
North  of  Europe,  is,  tliat   the  former   is   purer — being  almost 

4 


TREATMENT   OF   INTERIOES.  389 

wholly  based  on  the  Roman  t}^3e  of  the  round-arch  and 
horizontal  develoj)ment,  while  the  latter  is  a  more  mixed  style, 
and  is  continually  running  into  the  Gothic — so  that  pointed  and 
round  arches  frequently  occur,  not  only  in  the  same  building, 
but  sometimes  intermingled  side  by  side  or  above  each  other. 

The  truth  is,  the  Romanesque  style  was  never  perfected. 
Before  it  crystallized  into  a  refined  and  complete  form,  the 
Gothic  sprang  into  existence,  and  overshadowed  and  extin- 
guished it. 

As  a  domestic  style,  there  are  no  examples  of  Romanesque 
that  are  satisfactory  as  authorities  for  works  adapted  to  the 
present  age.  There  is  a  rudeness  and  clumsiness  about  some 
specimens,  and  a  barbarous  incongruity  about  others,  that 
renders  them  useless,  except  as  studies  for  this  pm-pose.  But 
whoever  will  study  carefully  the  Romanesque  architecture  of 
Southern  Europe,  will  find  it  full  of  instnictive  details,  from 
which  the  most  valuable  suggestions  for  interior,  as  well  as 
exterior  decoration,  may  be  derived.  The  use  of  terra-cotta 
ornaments,  externally,  the  introduction  of  diaper  or  mosaic 
patterns  impressed  on  the  walls  while  the  plaster  is  wet,  so  as 
to  have  the  effect  of  ornamental  sculpture,  and  the  repetition  of 
bold  and  striking  mouldings,  so  as  to  form  rich  borders  to  the 
doors  and  windows,  are  all  particularly  worthy  of  the  attention 
of  the  artist  of  genius,  who  wishes,  out  of  good  materials  in  the 
past,  to  glean  something  towards  forming  a  style  suited  to  the 
present  time. 

In  Fig.  182 — a  sketch  for  an  interior  in  the  Norman  taste, 
by  Mr.  Lamb,  an  English  architect — we  have  some  approxima- 
tion to  an  adaptation  of  the  style  to  modem  domestic  purposes. 
Fig.  183  is  a  chimney-piece,  from  the  same  hand.     For  the 


390 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


[Fig.  183.    Norman  Chiraney-Piece.] 

clumsy  column,  and  rather  barbarous,  zigzag  moulding  of  the 
Norman  style,  we  would,  however,  substitute  the  twisted 
pillar  and  the  more  elegant  foliage  decoration  of  the  true 
Komanesque  school.  At  the  same  time,  while  we  would  avoid 
the  heavy  proportions  of  many  of  the  Norman  details,  we  would 
preserve,  as  a  distinguishing  featm-e  between  the  Romanesque 
and  the  Italian  styles,  that  somewhat  ruder  form  and  more 
picturesque  and  rustic  treatment  of  details  and  ornaments, 
which  would  render  the  Romanesque  especially  adapted  for 
country  architecture. 

The  Elizahetlian^  or  Eenaisscmce  Style.  We  follow  most 
English  writers  in  calling  this  style  Elizabethan,  because  it 
came  into  use  in  England  during  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  though 
it  really  originated  in  Italy,  at  the  revival  of  the  arts  in  the 
fifteenth  century,  and  thence  spread  all  over  Europe.  It  is 
known  as  the  Omque  (Jento^  or  Fifteenth  Century  style,  in 
Italy;  as  the  Benodsscmce  or  revived  Roman  style  in  France; 
and  the  former  is  undoubtedly  the  correct  term  to  be  ap- 
plied to  it. 

Looking  at    the    Elizabethan    or    Fifteenth  Centmy    style 


I 


^-^: 


TKEAT^rENT   OF   INTEKIORS.  391 

critically,  or  in  a  philosophical  point  of  view,  we  cannot  deny 
that  it  often  violates  all  rules  of  art,  and  indulges  in  all  man- 
ner of  caprices.  Mere  architects  and  pedantic  jndges  have 
accordingly  condemned  it  in  all  ages.  Viewed,  however,  as  a 
style  addressed  to  the  feelings,  and  capable  of  wonderfully 
varied  expression,  from  the  most  grotesque  and  whimsical 
to  the  boldly  picturesque  and  curiously  beautiful,  we  see 
much  in  that  style  to  admire — especially  for  domestic  archi- 
tecture. Still,  as  we  think  it  a  most  dangerous  style  for 
any  but  an  architect  of  great  taste  and  judgment  to  handle, 
and  one  rarely  in  keeping  with  character  or  circumstances 
in  this  country,  we  have  not  presented  any  strictly  Elizabethan 
designs  for  exteriors. 

The  best  reason  which  can  be  given  for  the  intro- 
duction of  Elizabethan  architecture  here,  is,  as  we  have 
already  remarked,  the  natm-al  preference  which  Europeans, 
becoming  naturalized  citizens  among  us,  have  for  indulging 
the  chai-m  of  old  associations,  by  sm-rounding  themselves  by 
an  antique  style  that  has  been  familiar  to  their  eyes,  and 
formed  part  of  then*  homes  from  childhood.  In  such  cases, 
the  whole  house  may,  very  properly,  be  designed  in  this  style, 
or  certain  apartments  fitted  up  in  accordance  with  it. 

There  are,  also,  many  among  us  who  liave  a  taste  for 
cmUquities,  and  find  the  greatest  pleasure  in  collecting  about 
them  the  furniture  and  forms  of  a  past  age.  Such  persons  may 
incline  to  fit  up  a  library,  or  some  one  or  two  rooms  in  their 
house,  in  this  style,  and  will  find  more  pleasm'e  in  hunting  for 
old  Elizabethan  chairs  than  in  the  possession  of  the  finest  and 
most  faultless  productions  of  any  modern  school  of  art. 

A  very  good  general  idea  of  the  Elizabethan  style,  as  seen  in 


892  CX)UNTRY   HOUSES. 

the  interiors  of  the  <ri-eat  English  countiy  houses  of  the  fifteenth 
century,  may  he  liiithered  from  a  glance  at  the  interior,  Fig. 
184  (which  Ave  take  from  the  Abbotsford  novels).*  The  walls 
and  ceiling  were  heavily  wainscoted  in  oak,  and  the  former 
portion  often  hung  with  tapestry.  Tlie  mouldings  and  decora- 
tions were  in  a  mixed  taste,  mainly  Italian,  but  often  inter- 
mingled with  Gothic.  Twisted  columns,  scroll-work,  and 
heavy  and  qiuxint  carving  in  wood — the  figures  often  grotesque, 
and  almost  always  comparatively  rude — such  were  the  principal 
characteristics  of  this  style.  The  effect  is  often  grand  and 
sombre,  always  massive,  rich,  and  highly  picturesque — as  well 
as  essentially  manorial  and  comitry-like. 

The  Cmqiie  Cento  aifords,  in  its  best  examples,  evidences  that 
the  Italian  artists  had  a  fine  feeling  for  beauty  of  form ; 
and  their  decorations  are  always  purer  in  design  and  superior  in 
execution  to  those  of  the  Flemish  or  Elizabethan  school. 

Tlie  French,  in  their  Renaissance  style,  which  is  at  the 
present  moment  in  high  favor  on  the  Continent,  offer  the  best 
examples,  and  are  the  best  masters  of  it,  as  a])i)lied  to  modern 
uses.  Tlieir  works,  especially  in  interiors  and  furniture,  retain 
all  the  pictm'esqueness  and  antique  beauty  of  the  works  of  the 
fifteenth  century,  with  more  artistic  execution  and  a  more 
select  aud  chaste  arrangement  of  the  details. 

As  there  is  an  aflinity  between  the  more  domestic  forms  of 
Gothic  architecture  and  this  style  of  the  fifteenth  century — 
which  is  much  strengthened  by  the  ancient  custom  of  fitting 
up  even  the  finest  Gothic  houses  with  Elizabetlian  furniture — 

*  Still  better  studios  will  be  found  in  that  picturesque  folio — Nash's  Mansions  cf 
England  in  the  Olden  Time. 


TREATMENT   OF   EXTERIORS.  393 

there  is  no  reason  why  a  room  or  two  in  any  of  oiu'  Gothic 
villas  should  not  be  finished  and  fitted  up  in  a  chaste  Elizar 
bethan  or  Renaissance  taste.  There  are  already  some  examples 
in  this  country,  where  the  efiect  of  this  is  stiiking  and  agreeable, 
whether  regarded  as  illustrating  a  past  age,  or  as  gi'atifying  a 
love  of  antiquity  in  the  possessor. 

Of  com-se,  with  our  feelings  of  the  significance  of  the  present 
time  in  this  country,  we  would  not  desire  to  see  the  gi-owth  of 
an  afiected  taste  for  a  by-gone  style,  like  that  of  the  fifteenth 
century.  But  there  is  little  fear  of  this.  Both  the  costliness 
of  an  elaborately  carved  and  decorated  style  like  this,  and  the 
natural  preference  of  most  minds  for  forms  strictly  adapted  to 
modern  wants,  will  always  prevent  it  from  becoming  more 
than  an  occasional  example  of  the  taste  of  wealthy  and  curious 
amateurs  in  the  United  States. 

The  Elizabethan  is,  by  the  soberness  and  gravity  of  tone 
given  by  the  introduction  of  so  much  dark  wood  or  wainscot 
work,  particularly  agreeable  for  the  interior  of  a  library.  In 
Fig.  185,  which  is  a  sketch  of  a  library  in  a  modified  and 
comparatively  simple  Elizabethan  style,  is  shown  the  treatment 
that  is  often  given  it  by  modern  English  architects. 

The  Bracketed  Style.  Here  is  certainly  a  mode,  without  the 
demerit  of  being  old,  for  even  the  name,  as  applied  to  any 
style  of  building,  is  unknown  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic. 
We  apply  it  to  the  mode  of  construction  with  projecting  roofs, 
neither  so  high  pitched  as  those  of  the  Gothic,  nor  so  low  as 
the  classical  styles — roofs  always  supported  on  brackets,  and 
always  decidedly  rustic  or  country-like  in  expression.  K  it  is 
not  the  best  and  highest  style  of  architecture  which  ■  will  be 
developed  in  this  country,  it  has  tlie  merit  of  being  the  first 


P/M  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

that  lias  taken  a  distinct  shape  and  meaning  in  the  liands  of 
our  countrymen.  If  it  has  features  similar  in  origin  and  use 
with  the  Swiss  and  Venetian  styles,  it  is  also  essentially 
distinct.  Its  elements  are  simple  and  useful,  but  this  sim- 
j)licity  and  utility  both  spring  from  our  circumstances  and 
climate.  It  is  needless  for  us  to  detail  the  external  features  of 
what  we  call  the  Bracketed  style,  for  any  one  may  find  them 
by  tmiiing  over  the  designs  of  cottages  and  farm-houses  in 
many  of  the  preceding  pages.  They  are  simple  and  plain 
enough,  as  all  first  efforts  must  be,  but  a  few  yeai's  more  will 
undoubtedly  raise  this  style  to  a  more  dignified  and  artistic 
character. 

Li  the  interior,  the  Bracketed  partakes,  in  some  measure,  of 
the  Italian  character — that  is  to  say,  the  prevailing  lines  are 
horizontal — but  tlie  principle  of  strength  or  support,  instead  of 
being  the  post  or  pillar,  as  in  the  Grecian,  or  the  arch,  as  in 
the  Italian,  is  that  of  the  hracTcet.  This  feature  is  not  only 
used  where  it  is  absolutely  required,  as  under  the  eaves  of  the 
roof,  and  where  a  beam  rests  upon  a  wall,  but,  like  the  romid 
and  pointed  arch,  it  is  made  a  characteristic  and  ornamental, 
where  it  is  not  absolutely  a  necessary,  feature  in  decoration. 

The  Bracketed  may  be  the  plainest  of  all  styles,  showing 
itself  externally  only  by  the  ends  of  the  rafters  supporting  the 
extended  roof,  and  internally,  by  a  bracket  placed  in  the 
angles  where  two  pieces  of  timber  or  wall  meet,  to  bear  i)art 
of  the  weight,  or  it  may  be  a  very  rich  and  highly  ornamental 
style,  employing  brackets  and  beams  of  beautiful  forms,  per- 
forated, carved,  and  highly  decorated. 

In  Fig.  186,  we  give  a  sketch  of  an  interior,  in  the  Bracketed 
style,  of  a  comparatively  plain  and  shnple  kind,  but  showing  its 


TKEATMENT   OF   INTEEIORS.  395 

application  to  the  ceQing,  the  windows,  and  the  leading  features 
of  the  apartment. 

The  ribs  and  brackets  should  be  rather  bolder  than  they  are 
here  represented,  and  are  usually  formed  of  wood,  though  they 
may  easily  be  formed  of  plaster,  in  the  usual  way.  As  the 
bracketed  style  is  one  essentially  derived  from  wood,  it  should 
always  aim  at  picturesqueness,  rather  than  elegance  and  sym- 
meti-y;  and  as  strength  and  power,  and  a  certain  want  of 
finish,  are  as  necessary  to  the  Picturesque  as  delicate  contour 
and  perfect  execution  are  to  the  Beautiful,  it  will  be  better  to 
treat  wood  pictm'esquely  than  to  attempt  to  finish  it  so  as  to 
give  it  the  opposite  character. 

A  still  bolder  and  more  characteristic  interior  for  a  country 
house,  than  Fig.  186,  is  obtained  by  showing  about  half  the 
depth  of  the  real  beams  of  the  ceiling,  plastering  as  usual 
between,  and  placing  bold  brackets  undei-neath  them  along 
the  cornice  of  the  room.  The  whole  of  the  wood-work  may 
be  real  oak,  or  so  finished  as  to  resemble  it. 

Having  thus  briefly  designated  the  leading  featm-es  of  the 
Bracketed  style,  we  leave  it  in  the  hands  of  our  American 
architects.  It  is  certainly  capable  of  great  variety,  force,  and 
pictiu'esqueness.  There  is  scarcely  any  limit  to  the  variety  of 
bracket  ornamentation,  that  may  be  devised ;  and  if  the  capa- 
cities of  the  style  are  rightly  understood,  and  the  fact  borne  in 
mind,  that  it  is  essentially  rural  and  pictm-esque  in  character, 
it  can  scarcely  fail  to  be  developed  into  admirable  forms  for 
country  houses. 

Details  in  geneeal.  Ko  architect  has,  to  our  knowledge, 
laid  down  fixed  rules  for  the  proportion  of  rooms  in  modem 
domestic  architecture.    The  rules  of  Palladio   and   others  are 


396  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

intended  for  palaces  and  private  mansions,  on  a  scale  wholly 
iinknowTi  in  our  republic*  Economy,  -which  ohligcs  us,  in 
most  cases,  to  have  all  the  rooms  on  a  floor  of  the  same  height, 
while  the  rooms  themselves  are  necessarily  of  different  sizes, 
prevents  us  from  adhering  to  any  absolutely  fixed  rules  of 
proportion.  AVe  may  remark,  however,  that  from  12  to  14 
feet  is  the  general  range  for  the  height  of  the  principal  story  in 
our  best  country  houses.  Occasionally,  a  large  room,  especially 
if  it  is  detached,  is  from  16  to  20  feet  high.  The  width  varies 
from  16  to  20  feet — and  the  effect  is  always  better,  with  the 
height  of  ceiling  we  have  named,  if  apartments  are  considerably 
increased  in  lengthy  when  large  dimensions  are  required,  rather 
than  extended  much  beyond  20  feet  in  width. 

As  general  principles,  we  may,  however,  remark,  that  height 
always  gives  an  expression  of  dignity,  ^^'idth  and  height  bestow 
grandeur,  and  width,  height,  and  length,  nicely  adjusted,  produce 
elegance.  On  the  contrary,  while  rooms  that  are  ratlier  broad 
and  low  have  an  ill  effect  in  a  modern  classical  villa,  they  give  a 
farm-house  that  liomely  and  rustic  expression  which  is  in  better 
keeping  with  its  character  and  use,  than  rooms  with  lofly  ceilings. 

An  ingenious  architect  will,  therefore,  proportion  the  height 
of  the  stories  to  the  style  he  has  chosen.  Thus,  the  Gothic  or 
pointed  styles  should,  strictly,  have  the  highest  ceilings;  the 

*  The  proportions  laid  clown  by  Sir  Wm.  Chambers,  an  Englisli  authority,  were 
as  follows : — "  If  the  plan  of  the  room  be  a  square,  the  hoiglit  ehoulcl  not  exceeil 
five-sixths  of  the  length  of  the  side,  nor  be  less  than  four-fiftlis ;  and  wlien  it  is  an 
oblong,  the  height  may  be  equal  to  tlie  width."  This  applies  to  classical  architec- 
ture, and  the  architect  who  feels  and  understands  ju-ojiordon  will  be  better  able  to 
express  the  idea  of  the  style  he  has  adopted,  than  by  following  rules  like  these,  which 
are  only  of  very  limited  application. 


TREATMENT   OF   INTERIOKS.  397 

Italian,  next ;  and  the  Elizabethan  and  bracketed  may  be  high 
or  low,  according  to  the  simplicity  or  dignity  of  the  building  to 
be  erected. 

CMmneij-j)ieces  are  among  tne  essentially  architectural 
featm-es  of  rooms,  and  they  should  therefore  always  strictly 
correspond  in  style  with  the  rest  of  the  house  or  apartment  in 
which  they  are  fixed. 

Chimney-pieces,  of  excellent  design  and  workmanship,  in 
Italian,  Gothic,  and  the  other  more  important  styles,  may  now 
be  found  in  our  principal  cities,  at  very  moderate  prices. 
Those  of  the  more  simple  forms  are  preferable  to  very  elab- 
orate patterns,  the  latter  belonging,  more  properly,  to  highly 
enriched  town  houses.  A  very  fine  efiect  is  always  produced, 
when  the  drawing-room  is  one  of  considerable  importance, 
by  placing  a  large  miiTor  over  its  chimney-piece,  with  its 
frame  designed  so  that  the  former  and  the  latter  foi-m  one 
composition. 

The  walls  of  all  the  best  apartments  in  villas  are  usually 
finished  in  three  coats  of  plaster,  the  last  coat  being  laid  on 
with  "hard-finish,"  i.  e.  plaster  of  Paris,  so  as  to  form  a 
perfectly  hard  and  smooth  sm-face.  This  may  either  be  left 
white,  or  it  may  be  colored  in  distemper,  or  painted  in  oil.  It 
is  usual,  in  either  case,  to  allow  the  walls  to  remain  untouched 
for  a  year  before  painting  them,  in  order  that  they  may  become 
perfectly  dry  and  seasoned. 

Since  we  look  upon  bare  white  walls,  in  the  principal 
apartments  of  a  country  house,  as,  in  point  of  taste,  a  com- 
plete nullity,  destructive  of  all  tone,  and  harsh  and  glaring 
in  effect,  we  would,  in  all  cases,  either  paint  the  walls  in  oil, 
color  them  in  distemper,  or  cover  them  with  paper. 


398  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

Paper-hangings  offer  so  easy,  economical,  and  agreeable  a 
means  of  decorating  or  finishing  the  walls  of  an  apartment,  that 
we  strongly  recommend  them  for  use  in  the  majority  of  country 
houses  of  moderate  cost.  Where  they  are  to  be  used,  tlie 
expense  of  applying  the  stucco  or  hard-finish  to  the  side  walls 
may  be  saved,  for  common  plastered  walls,  well  sized,  are 
equally  well  adapted  to  receive  paper. 

A  good  deal  of  taste  is  requisite  in  the  choice  of  paper- 
hangings,  in  a  house  where  there  are  rooms  of  importance.  All 
flashy  and  gaudy  patterns  should  be  avoided,  all  imitations  of 
church  windows,  magnificent  carved  work,  piimacles,  etc. 
Those  papers  which  are  in  the  best  taste  are  either  flock- 
papers,  made  to  imitate  woven  stufis — such  as  silk  or  worsted 
hangings — or  fi-esco-papei'S,  which  give  the  same  effect  as  if 
the  walls  were  formed  into  compartments  or  panels,  with 
suitable  cornices  and  mouldings.  If  the  fresco-papers  (which 
may  now  be  had  in  New  York,  well  designed,  of  chaste  and 
suitable  patterns  for  any  style  of  architecture)  are  chctsen, 
they  wOl  produce  a  tasteful,  satisfactory,  and  agreeable 
effect,  in  almost  any  situation.*  The  great  point  consists 
in  judicious  selection,  and  the  best  guiding  principle  that  we 
can  lay  down,  is  to  choose  a  paper  of  the  same  style  as  the 
room,  and  a  modification  of  that  style  in  keeping  with  tlic 
furniture,  etc.,  to  be  placed  in  it.  We  make  this  latter  remark, 
because  one  often  sees  fresco-paper  which  in  style  and  details 
is   exactly  suitable  to    a    palace,   placed    upon    the   Malls    of 


*  A  very  artistic  and  excellent  effect  is  produced,  by  employing  paper  of  a  single 
plain  color  for  the  whole  ground  of  the  wall,  and  forming  lines,  panels,  and  com- 
partments, by  portions  and  strips  of  other  pbiin  colors.     See  page  336. 


4> 


Fig.  1B6. 
INTKRIOR  IN  THE  BRACKETF.n  STYLt: 


p.  398. 


^1 


«1 


TREATMENT  OF  INTEEI0E8.  399 

a  country  house,  where  the  furniture  and  all  else  is  modest 
and  simple,  and  therefore  wholly  out  of  keeping  with  it. 

When  the  walls  of  an  apartment  are  papered,  the  ceiling  is 
generally  all  left  white,  or  painted  or  colored  some  delicate 
'neutral  tint,  nearly  white,  and  harmonizing  with  the  prevailing 
colors  of  the  paper. 

Painting  in  Distemper.  Tliis  is  nothing  more  than  a  water- 
color  wash,  the  color  being  mixed  with  clean,  thin  sizing, 
instead  of  oil.  The  body  of  the  paint  or  wash  is  either  whiting 
or  kalsomiue — the  latter  a  very  fine  kind  of  earth  (burned  in  a 
peculiar  manner),  pure  white  in  color,  and  producing  a  more 
mellow  and  softer  effect  than  whiting.  The  wash  is  laid  on 
warm,  so  that  the  sizing  will  flow  freely  :  and  it  may  be  used 
upon  common  plastered  walls,  though  the  efiect  is,  of  course, 
better  upon  a  stucco  or  hard-finished  wall. 

The  advantages  of  distemper  over  oil-colors  are,  1st,  the 
short  time  necessary  to  perforin  it — two  coats  only  being  neces- 
sary, so  that  a  room  or  a  number  of  rooms  may  be  finished 
in  a  day ;  2d,  the  absence  of  all  smell,  so  disagreeable  and 
unwholesome,  dm-ing  two  otigthree  weeks,  when  oil  paint  -is 
used ;  3d,  economy,  the  expense  of  coloring  a  room  in  kalso- 
mine  being  only  about  a  third  of  that  in  oil  paint.  We  may 
add  to  this,  that  there  is  no  glare  in  kalsomine,  but  a  softness 
and  delicacy  of  tint,  rarely  or  never  seen  in  oil-colors. 

The  disadvantages  are,  that  it  will  not  bear  washing,  and  is 
more  easily  stained  than  a  surface  jjainted  in  oil.  Fur  all 
rooms  liable  to  "hard  usage,"  distemper  colors  should  never 
be  resorted  to;  but  we  have  had  them  for  six  or  eight  years 
upon  the  walls  of  parlors,  where  they  are  still  quite  satis- 
factory. 


400  OOTTNTKT   HOUSES. 

The  tints  used  for  coloring  walls  in  distemper  are  generally 
French  gray,  drab,  fawn,  stone  color,  and  other  delicate  neu- 
tral tints.  To  produce  these,  the  following  colors  are  added 
in  small  quantities  to  the  basis  of  whiting  or  kalsomine  :  Chrome 
yellow,  yellow  ochre,  Venetian  red,  burnt  umber,  patent  black, 
French  blue,  etc.  As  the  tints  dry  lighter  than  they  appear,  it 
is  necessary  to  paint  strips  of  paper  or  bits  of  board,  and  allow 
them  to  dry,  in  order  to  judge  if  the  required  shade  is  obtained. 

Painthuj  in  Oil.  There  is,  undoubtedly,  no  mode  of 
finishing  the  walls  of  an  apartment  so  entirely  satisfactory,  in 
many  respects,  as  painting  them  in  oil.  It  is  very  dimible, 
and  as  such  walls  can  be  cleaned  at  any  time  without  injury, 
by  washing  them,  it  is  also,  in  the  end,  the  most  economical 
mode — though  troublesome,  tedious,  and  expensive  at  fii-st.  As 
there  are  several  ways  of  performing  the  operation,  we  give 
the  following  as  the  best  yet  known.  It  is  the  practice  of  Hay, 
the  famous  Edinburgh  painter. 

It  should  be  premised  that  jihe  wall  to  be  painted  is  hard- 
finished. 

"  The  process  of  painting  plaster-work  is  as  follows : — "White- 
lead  and  linseed  oil,  with  a  little  litharge,  to  facilitate  drying, 
are  mixed  together,  to  about  the  consistence  of  thin  cream :  a 
coating  of  this  being  applied,  the  oil  from  it  is  sucked  into  the 
plaster  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours,  leaving  the  white-lead 
apparently  dry  upon  the  surface.  In  the  course  of  a  day  or 
two,  when  this  coat  has  sufficiently  hardened,  another  is  given, 
a  few  degrees  thicker,  the  oil  from  which  is  partially  absorbed, 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  plaster.  In  the  course  of  a  few 
days  more,  a  third  coat  is  applied.  This  coat  is  made  pretty 
thick;  and,  if  the  absorption   of  the  oil  from  the  second  coat 


TREATMENT   OF   INTERIORS.  401 

has  not  been  great,  about  one- fourth  of  spirits  of  turpentme  is 
added ;  but  when  the  absorption  has  been  great,  a  less  propor- 
tion of  the  spirits  of  turpentine  is  employed.  Into  this  coat  are 
put  the  coloring  ingredients,  to  bring  it  near  the  shade  intended 
for  the  finishing  coat.  Should  the  plaster  now  be  thoroughly 
saturated,  the  flatting  or  finishing  coat  is  applied ;  before  this 
is  done,  however,  a  fourth  coat,  thinned  with  equal  portions  of 
oil  and  spirits  of  turpentine,  is  generally  given,  particularly 
when  the  work  is  intended  to  be  of  the  most  dm'able  kind. 
The  flatting  or  finishing  coat  is  composed  entirely  of  paint; 
that  is,  of  white  paint  and  the  coloring  ingredients,  mixed 
together,  and  ground  in  oil  to  an  imjjalpable  paste.  This 
mixtm'e  is  of  a  very  thick  consistency,  and  must  be  thinned 
with  spirits  of  turpentine,  until  it  will  flow  easily  from  the 
brush.  The  spirits  of  turpentine,  being  very  volatile,  evaporate 
entirely,  leaving  the  sm-face  of  the  paint  of  a  very  compact  and 
hard  natm-e.  By  this  process,  the  plaster  is  rendered  incapable 
of  absorption;  and  the  surface  of  it,  entirely  free  from  gloss, 
is  hardened  by  the  oil  which  it  has  sucked  in  from  the  first 
and  second  coats,  and  is  thereby  rendered  less  liable  to  breakage, 
with  the  great  advantage  of  being  washable." 

A  great  deal  of  taste  may  be  evinced  in  the  manner  of  color- 
ing the  different  apartments  in  a  country  house  of  considerable 
size.  An  apartment  may  be  richly  painted,  decorated,  and 
filled  with  fine  furniture,  and  yet  the  effect  ^vill  be  discordant 
and  unpleasing,  if  forms  and  colors  are  badly  aiTanged.  How 
to  produce  harmony  of  style  we  have  already  indicated.  Tlie 
most  powerful  source  of  pleasure  in  all  interiors,  next  to  style, 
is  color,  and  to  the  majority  of  persons  who  have  little  knowl- 
edge  of   architecture,   it  is   even   a  larger    and    more   easily 

26 


402  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

recognized  clement  of  satisfaction.  Tlic  principal  masses  of 
color  in  a  room  uro  in  tiie  carpet  and  the  Malls,  and  these, 
therefore,  shonld  always  harmonize  with  each  other — that  is  to 
say,  if  they  do  not  agree  in  color,  they  shonld  be  selected  so 
as  to  contrast  harmoniously.  The  same  rule  applies  to  window- 
curtains,  drapery,  and  stuflfe  with  which  chaii*s  are  coveted. 
And  tluiui;li  there  may  be  contrasts  in  the  furniture  of  a  room, 
there  must  be  a  predominance  of  some  leading  color,  to  give  a 
tone  to  the  whole.* 


*  "  The  first  and  most  obvious  defect  in  tlie  coloring  of  rooms  is,  when  there  is  no 
particular  tone  fixed  on  for  an  apartment ;  that  is,  when  one  part  of  the  furniture  is 
chosen  without  any  reference  to  the  rest,  and  the  painting  done  without  any  refer- 
ence to  the  furniture.  This  generally  produces  an  incongruous  mixture ;  and  is,  in 
comparison  to  a  tastefully  decorated  apartment,  as  far  as  regards  coloring,  what  a 
child  produces  with  its  first  box  of  paints,  to  the  work  of  a  great  master.  A  second 
and  more  common  fault  is,  the  predominance  of  some  bright  and  intense  color, 
either  upon  the  walls  or  flixir.  It  is  evident  that  such  a  predominance  of  an 
overpowering  color  upon  so  large  a  space  as  tlie  floor  or  wall  of  a  room,  nmst 
injure  the  effect  of  the  finest  furniture.  This  great  error  often  arises  from  the 
difticulty  of  choosing  a  paper-hanging  or  carpet,  and  our  liability  to  be  bewildered 
amongst  the  multitude  of  patterns  which  are  produced,  the  mo.st  attractive  of  which, 
on  a  small  scale,  are  often,  from  this  very  circumstance,  the  more  objectionable,  in 
regard  to  their  forming  a  large  mass  in  an  apartment ;  particularly  as  the  artists  who 
design  them  are  often  regulated  by  no  fixed  principle,  but  in  many  cases  seem  to 
give  themselves  up  to  the  pursuit  of  novelty  alone.  A  third  error  i.s,  introducing  pale 
and  deep  colors  together,  which  may  have  been  well  enough  chosen  with  regard  to 
their  tints,  but  whose  particular  degrees  of  strength  have  not  been  well  attended  to. 
There  is  a  foiu-th  defect,  and  rather  a  common  one,  and  that  is,  a  want  of  the  media 
which  unite  and  harmonize  an  assemblage  of  bright  colors,  which  may,  in  other 
respects,  be  perfectly  well  arranged,  for  it  is  a  rule  in  the  higher  branches  of  the  art, 
that  a  confusion  of  part.s  of  equal  strength  (of  color)  should  always  be  avoided.  A 
room  of  this  description  resembles  a  Chinese  landscape,  where  foreground  and  distance 
are  jumbled  together." — Jlay's  Harmonious  Coloring, 


TBEAT>rENT   OF  INTEKIOKS.  403 

The  tone  or  style  of  coloring  should  depend  upon  the  use  of 
the  apartment,  and  a  great  deal  of  interest  and  variety  may  be 
conferred  on  a  country  house,  by  thus  making  the  interior,  in 
color  and  decoration,  express  the  character  of  the  apartment 
itself.  In  a  small  cottage,  one  does  not  expect  these  refine- 
ments ;  but  in  a  countiy  house  of  the  fii'st  class,  nothing  is  so 
insipid  as  to  find  all  the  principal  apartments  of  one  color, 
and  finished  and  fui-nished  in  the  same  manner,  without  any 
regard  to  their  uses. 

The  Tidily  and  all  entries,  staircases,  and  passages  should  be 
of  a  cool  and  sober  tone  of  color — gray,  stone  color,  or  drab. 
They  also  should  be  simple  in  decoration.  The  effect  of  the 
richer  and  livelier  hues  of  the  other  apartments  will  then  be 
enhanced  by  the  color  of  the  hall,  while  every  one  will  feel 
that  the  prevailing  tone  of  the  latter  is  strictly  in  keeping  M'ith 
its  uses.  For  the  floors  of  halls,  we  greatly  prefer  tiles  of 
marble  or  pottery*  to  carpet  or  oil-cloth — as  far  more  durable 
and  characteristic,  and,  in  the  end,  much  more  economical. 

The  dranmng-roonh  should  always  exhibit  more  beauty  and 
elegance  than  any  apartment  in  the  house.  In  color,  it  should 
be  lighter,  more  cheerful  and  gay,  than  any  other  room.  The 
furniture  should  be  richer  and  more  delicate  in  design,  and  the 
colors  of  the  walls  decidedly  light,  so  that  brilliancy  of  effect 
is  not  lost  in  the  evening.  In  iosxw  houses,  white,  relieved  by 
gold,  is  preferred ;  but  in  country  houses,  gilding  should  be  very 
sparingly  used — and  very  delicate  tints,  such  as  ashes  of  rose. 


*  Beautiful  patterns  of  encaustic  tiles,  which  have  a  good  effect,  are  now  manu- 
factured at  very  moderate  cost.  The  colors  are  chiefly  browns,  enriched  with 
patterns  and  figures  of  fawn  or  blue. 


404  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

pearl-gray,  pale  apple-gi"eeii,  etc.,  have  a  more  chaste  and 
satisfactory  effect  for  the  side  walls — relieved  by  darker  shades, 
for  contrast. 

The  dlmng-roani  should  be  rich  and  warm  in  its  coloring, 
and  more  of  contrast  and  stronger  colors  may  be  introduced 
here  than  in  the  drawing-room.  The  furniture  should  be 
substantial,  without  being  clumsy,  but  much  simpler  in  decora- 
tion than  that  of  the  drawing-room. 

Tlje  lihrai^j  should  be  quiet,  and  comparatively  grave  in 
color.  Some  shade  of  fawn  or  neutral  tint  for  the  walls,  the 
furniture  of  dark  oak,  or  wood  like  the  bookcases,  and  the 
carpet  selected  so  as  to  accord  with  the  severe  and  quiet  tone 
of  the  walls  and  fiu'niture.  Leather  or  morocco  makes  the  best 
and  most  appropriate  covers  for  the  seats  of  chaii-s  and  other 
furniture  for  a  library. 

The  houdoh\  which  is  essentially  the  ladies'  apartment,  may 
be  colored  and  fitted  up  with  any  vai'iation  of  coloring  that 
their  fancy  may  dictate — always  supposing  that  it  will  be 
essentially  delicate  and  feminine  in  its  general  effect. 

Bcd-rooiiu  may  vary  from  the  greatest  simplicity  and  chaste- 
ness  of  color  to  any  light  and  cheerful  style  of  decoration. 
Paper-hangings  are  largely  used  for  the  walls  in  most  of  our 
country  h(juses,  ;uul  should  always  agree  in  general  tone  with 
that  of  the  fm-niture  used  in  the  apartment. 

The  interior  wood-V)orh  of  villas  or  country  houses  should 
be  painted  so  as  to  liarmonize  with  the  prevailing  tone  of 
the  room.  It  may  be  lighter  or  darker  than  the  walls,  and 
generally  of  a  quiet,  neutral  tint,  but  never  the  same  color, 
and  never  white,  (.•x('e])t  in  those  drawing-rooms  where  white 
Ib  relieved  by  gilding.     In  nil  liln-nrii's,  an<l  in  other  apartments, 


TREATMENT  OF  INTEKIORS.  406 

the  wood  should  either  be  oak  or  other  dark  wood,  varnished, 
or  it  should  be  painted  and  grained,  to  resemble  it.  Indeed, 
the  use  of  varnished  wood-work  has  much  to  recommend  it  for 
most  apartments  of  country  houses,  both  on  the  ground  of 
adaptation  and  economy  of  labor. 

With  these  general  principles  in  his  mind,  any  country 
gentleman,  of  moderate  taste,  may  succeed  in  painting  and 
finishing  his  apartments  in  a  correct  and  pleasing  manner. 
"When  the  ladies  of  a  family  have  some  cultivation  in  the  arts, 
they  may  do  much  more.*  When  a  villa  is  designed  by  an 
architect,  he  generally  superintends  and  directs  the  imishing  of 
the  interior ;  and  in  villas  of  considerable  importance,  intei^r 
decorators^  who  devote  themselves  to  this  branch  of  the  pro- 
fession, are  called  in  to  complete  the  whole,  as  the  builder 
leaves  it.  Some  of  these,  like  Mr.  Geo.  Piatt,  of  Xew  York 
(who  is  at  present  the  most  popular  interior  decorator  in  the 
country),  possess  talent  enough  to  take  an  apartment  or  a  suite 
of  apartments,  design  and  execute  the  decorations,  and  color, 
and  furnish  them  throughout  m  any  style. 

*  We  remember  a  beautiful  eflfect  produced  in  a  simple  country  house,  whose 
apartments  were  decorated  in  a  chaste  and  artistic  manner  by  mere  charcoal 
drawings,  done  by  a  lady — one  of  the  inmates.  The  subjects  were  Flaxman's 
outlines,  enlarged  to  life  size,  in  panek,  on  the  walls. 


406  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


SECTION    XII. 


FURNITURE. 


If  it  is  true  that  the  general  character  of  a  room  dei:)en(is  on 
the  architectural  forms  and  lines  which  compose  its  walls,  ceil- 
ing, doors,  and  windows,  it  is  no  less  time  that  the  expression 
of  the  same  room  largely  depends  on  the  manner  in  which  it  is 
furnished.  To  satisfy  one's  self  on  this  point,  it  is  only  necessary 
to  look  at  the  same  apartment,  or  suite  of  apartments,  with  and 
without  furnitm-e.  In  the  one  case,  it  has,  to  be  sure,  the 
intrinsic  elements  of  proportion,  symmetry,  and  suitable  archi- 
tectural decoration ;  but  it  wants  all  that  variety,  intricacy,  and 
significance  of  meaning  which  the  same  room  has,  when  filled 
with  furniture  in  keeping  with  its  uses,  and  the  social  life  of 
those  who  inhabit  it.  As  a  smile  or  a  glance,  in  familiar 
conversation,  often  reveals  to  us  more  of  the  real  character  of 
a  professional  man  than  a  long  study  of  him  at  the  pulpit  or 
the  bar,  so  a  table  or  a  chair  will  sometimes  give  us  the  key  to 
the  intimate  tastes  of  those  who  might  be  inscnitable  in  the 
hieroglyphics  of  white  walls  and  plain  ceilings.  How  often  does 
the  interior  of  the  same  house  convey  to  us  a  totally  different 
impression,  when  inliabited  and  furnished  by  different  families. 
In   the   one   case,  all   is   as   cold,  hard,  and   formal,  as  solid 


FUKNITURE.  407 

mahogany  and  marble-top  centre-tables,  etna's^  bare  convention- 
alities and  frigid  social  feeling,  can  make  it ;  in  the  other,  all  is 
as  easy  and  agreeable  as  low  couches,  soft  light  chintzes  and 
cushions — alias^  cordiality,  and  genuine,  frank  hos]:)itality  can 
render  it. 

More  than  this,  if  it  so  happens  that  one  is  forced  to  inhabit 
a  house  meagre  and  poor  in  its  interior,  its  baldness  and 
poverty  may  be,  in  a  great  degree,  concealed  or  overcome,  by 
furnishing  the  rooms  in  a  tastefid  and  becoming  manner. 

It  is,  therefore,  by  no  means  irrelevant  that  we  should  devote 
some  little  space  to  the  subject  of  the  furniture  of  country 
houses.  Our  fair  readers  will  doubtless  pardon  us  for  the 
seeming  intrusion  on  their  province,  when  we  say  that  our 
object  is  mainly  to  fm'nish  them  with  reasons  for  the  natural 
good  taste  which  they  usually  show  in  this  department,  and 
point  out  the  shoals  on  which  those  few  who  fail  from  want 
of  native  perception  are  wrecked,  so  that  they  may,  if  possible, 
be  avoided. 

And  here  we  may  be  allowed  to  prose  a  little,  at  the  outset, 
by  an  allusion  to  the  blunders  committed  by  many  persons  in 
furnishing  a  house.  We  mean  the  blunder  of  confounding 
fashion  with  taste  i  of  supposing  that  whatever  the  cabinet- 
makers and  upholsterers  turn  out  as  the  latest  fashion  must 
necessarily  be  the  only  things  worth  having;  and  of  a  total 
ignorance  of  the  fact,  that  the  most  fashionable  furnitm'e  ma/y 
be  in  the  worst  taste,  while  furniture  in  the  most  correct  taste 
is  not  always  such  as  is  easily  obtained  in  the  cabinet  ware- 
houses. 

Tasteful  furniture  is,  simply,  furniture  remarkable  for  agree- 
able  and  harmonious  lines   and   forms,   well   adapted   to  the 


■K»8  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

purpose  in  view.  Fnniiture  in  correct  taste  is  characterized  by 
its  being  designed  in  accordance  with  certain  recognized  styles, 
and  intended  to  accord  with  ajmrtments  in  tlie  same  style. 
Furniture  in  "good  keeping"  adds  to  correctness  in  i>oint  of 
taste,  a  propriety  of  color,  character,  form  and  material,  which 
befits  the  uses  for  which  it  and  the  apartment  in  which  it  is 
placed  are  intended.  Thus,  the  furniture  of  the  hall,  however 
correct,  would  not  be  in  good  keeping  with  the  dining-room, 
nor  the  furniture  of  the  dining-room  in  keeping  with  the 
library. 

The  gi'eat  advantage  which  furniture  in  correct  taste  has 
over  merely  fashionable  furnitm-e  is,  that  the  latter  is  no  sooner 
out  of  fashion — which  may  happen  in  a  tM'elvemonth — than  lo  ! 
its  whole  charm  and  power  of  pleasing  is  lost  to  its  possessor. 
It  nmst,  therefore,  be  sent  to  auction,  or  consigned  to  the  upper 
story,  and  more,  of  the  latest  mode,  put  in  its  place — while 
furniture  in  correct  taste,  depending  on  its  excellence  and 
the  adaptation  of  its  forms  and  lines  to  the  apartments  of  whose 
architecture  it  is  an  echo,  never  loses  its  power  of  pleasing,  but 
only  grows  dearer  to  us  Ijy  age  and  association. 

Again,  tlie  power  which  furniture  of  correct  taste  has,  of 
affording  us  pleasure,  does  nut  depend  on  rich  materials 
or  elaborate  execution — though  it  may,  in  numy  cases,  be 
heightened  by  them.  It  arises  rather  from  the  mind  which 
it  evinces — the  evidence  it  conveys  at  a  glance  that  it  is 
part  of  the  same  plan,  idea,  or  conception  which  is  shown  in 
every  other  part  of  the  li<nisi>,  or  entei"s  into  the  very  room 
where  it  is  placed.  We  arc  thus  made  to  feel  that  the  furniture 
belongs  in  a  certain  liouse  or  room,  because  it  was  specially 
designed    for   that    house   or   room,   or   for   one   in   the   same 


FTRNnURE.  409 

architectural  style  and  character,  and  for  no  other.  It  is  for 
this  reason — ^because  beauty  and  significance  both  unite  to  make 
furniture  in  correct  taste  permanently  satisfactory — that  it  often 
happens  that  some  modest  cottage,  with  its  furniture  of  oak  or 
walnut,  all  chaste,  simj)le,  and  expressive,  but  in  strictly  correct 
taste  and  good  keeping,  awakens  in  our  minds  a  far  higher 
pleasure  than  the  most  costly  saloon,  bright  with  gilding,  and 
rich  with  satin  and  velvet,  where  we  only  discover  magnifi- 
cence and  exjDcnse,  without  taste  or  proj)riety.  "We  feel  that 
there  is  some  living  spark  of  genius  in  the  former,  however 
simple  and  unpretending  its  manifestation,  but  in  the  latter — 
only  unlimited  credit  at  the  banker's. 

The  most  unfortunate  circumstance  for  the  progress  of  good 
taste  in  furnishing  our  countiy  houses  is  that,  hitherto,  the 
fashions  of  town  houses  have  been  implicitly  followed  every- 
where in  the  country.  To  be  able  to  show  a  parlor  in  a 
country  house  as  nearly  as  possible  a  fac-simile  of  one  in  the 
Fifth  Avenue,  Beacon,  or  Chestnut  street,  according  as  New 
York,  Boston,  or  Philadelphia  is  the  meridian  of  calculation, 
has,  for  the  most  part,  been  the  highest  ambition  of  most 
persons  furnishing  a  first-class  house  in  the  countiy.  And  the 
result  is,  that  the  room  so  fiu-nished,  instead  of  inspiring  us 
with  the  feeling  of  appropriateness,  comfort,  and  good  taste, 
rather  wearies  us  with  the  recollection  of  the  extra  expense, 
inappropriateness,  and  over-elegance  of  so  many  things  made 
for  display,  rather  than  convenience  and  beauty. 

The  fii'st  ste^)  towards  escaping  from  this,  is  the  recognition 
of  the  fact,  that  a  country  house  (even  when  the  same  wealth 
and  style  are  supposed)  should  always  be  furnished  with  more 
chasteness  and  simplicity  than  a  town  house ;  because,  it  is  in 


410  COUNTRY  HOUSES. 

the  country,  if  anywhere,  tliat  we  should  find  essential  ease 
and  convenience  always  preferred  to  that  love  of  effect  and 
desire  to  dazzle,  which  is  begotten,  for  the  most  part,  hy  rivalry 
of  mere  wealth  in  to^vn  life.  As  a  country  gentleman  rejoices 
in  the  fact  that  he  is  in  happy  ignorance  of  the  routine  of  daily 
dress-coats  and  white  gloves,  so  he  prefei-s  a  ci>mfortable  cuiich 
or  easy-chair,  covered  with  substantial  stuffs,  and  not  so  fine  or 
so  frail  as  to  forbid  his  enjoying  it  remoi*selessly  at  all  times,  to 
gilt  fiiuteuils,  covered  with  white  satin,  which  are  objects  of 
no  more  real  utility  in  the  country  than  a  clmsseiri'. 

The  great  desideratum  in  the  furniture  of  country  houses  is, 
that  it  shoidd  be  essentially  country-like — which,  we  think,  is 
attained  only  when  it  unites  taste,  comfort,  and  durability  in 
the  greatest  degi*ee.  It  should  be  in  correct  taste,  so  as  to 
hannonize  with  the  house  in  which  it  is  placed;  it  should  be 
convenient  and  comfortable  in  the  highest  degree ;  and  it  should 
be  substantially  made,  so  as  to  imite  dm*ability  with  the 
capacity  of  being  used  without  the  fear  of  l)eing  spoiled  by 
fidfilling  its  true  purpose. 

Of  course,  it  is  as  yet  difficult  to  find  such  furniture 
— because  most  of  our  patterns  are  of  Parisian  taste, 
designed  for  town  houses.  But  there  are  evidences  of  better 
things  in  tlie  future.  Hennessey,  of  Boston,  has  already 
made  a  successful  attempt  in  the  manufacture  of  cheap,  light 
fiu-niture  for  cottages,  and  more  solid  and  substantial  designs, 
in  the  different  styles  suited  to  large  country  houses,  will  soon 
follow. 

There  is,  at  the  present  moment,  almost  a  numia  in  tlie  cities 
for  expensive  French  fumitm'c  and  decorations.  The  style  of 
royal  palaces   abroad  is  imitated  in  to^vn  houses  of  50  feet 


FUKNITURE,  411 

front,  and  we  could  name  examples  where  from  $5000  to 
S10,00t)  Uave  been  expended  in  the  decoration  and  furnitm-e  of 
a  single  apartment  in  New  York.  It  is  not  our  province  to 
read  a  philippic  against  this  species  of  extravagance  in  cities. 
"  God  made  the  countr}-,  but  man  made  the  town,"  and  a  little 
more  indulgence  may  be  made  for  the  latter,  considering  how 
the  tastes  and  passions  of  men  are  excited  in  rich  cities.  But 
in  the  country,  we  protest  against  such  display  (whatever  the 
ability  to  pay  for  it),  as  not  only  in  bad  taste,  but  out  of 
keeping  with  the  comparative  simplicity  and  ease  of  mannei-s 
which  ought  to  characterize  nu-al  life.  Even  Lord  Chesterfeld 
would  have  been  ill  at  ease  if  he  had  been  obliged  to  live  the 
life  of  a  country  gentleman  in  purple  and  fine  linen,  eveiy  day. 
But  there  is  a  readier  and  more  poweiful  argument  why 
persons  of  good  taste  should  not  indulge  in  this  extraordinary 
display  of  gilding,  mirrors,  and  decoration  in  the  interior  of 
their  houses  in  this  country.  We  mean,  because  such  showy 
wares  are  likely  to  become  too  "base,  common,  and  popular"  to 
gratify  them  by  possession.  When  the  proprietors  of  our  great 
steamers  and  hotels  can  afford,  as  they  now  do,  fi'om  motives 
of  policy,  to  lavish  far  more  in  the  furniture,  gilding,  and 
decoration  of  their  saloons,  than  our  best  private  fortunes  will 
allow,  and  when,  instead  of  this  species  of  decoration  being 
confined  to  the  palaces  of  royalty  or  the  nobility,  as  abroad,  it 
is  here  made  the  common  property  of  the  sovereign  people,  to 
enjoy  whenever  they  ti-avel,  it  is  clear  that  the  taste  for 
private  display  of  the  same  kind  must  take  some  other  channel, 
or  it  will  soon  become  "  vulgar."  Hence,  the  only  resort  for  a 
gentleman  who  wishes  his  house  to  be  distinguished  by  good 
taste,  is  to  choose  the  opposite  course,  viz.  to  make  its  interior 


412  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

remarkable  for  chaste  beauty,  and  elegant  simplicity,  rather  than 
for  elaborate  and  profuse  decoration. 

In  presenting  the  designs  of  furniture  which  follow,  we  are 
far  from  giving  them  as  perfect  specimens  of  what  we  should 
desire  the  furniture  of  country  houses  to  be.  To  achieve  this, 
the  assistance  of  some  genius  who  especially  understands  and 
has  carefully  studied  the  nature  of  the  desideratum  in  country 
furnitiu-e,  would  be  required.  No  such  artist  has  yet  arisen, 
and  in  the  mean  time  we  give  a  selection  from  furniture,  in 
various  styles  now  in  use,  and  to  be  had  of  the  cabinet-makers 
in  our  principal  cities.*  Tlie  representations  given  will 
at  least  familiarize  our  readers  ^\'ith  the  different  styles  of 
design,  and  enable  them  to  understand  more  clearly  what  they 
really  want. 

We  may  add,  that  the  furniture  dealers  in  most  repute  in 
Boston  are  Hennessey,  for  cottage  ftmiiture,  and  Paul,  for 
French  and  Elizabethan  fm-nitm-e.  In  N'ew  York,  the  rarest 
and  most  elaborate  designs,  especially  for  drawing-room  and 
libraiy  use,  are  to  be  found  at  the  warehouse  of  Eoux,  in 
Broadway.  Piatt,  who  designs  and  executes  fumitm-e  in  all 
styles,  we  have  already  refen-ed  to. 

I. — Furniture  in  the  Greoicm  or  Modem  Style. 
The  fumitm-e  most  generally  used  in  private  houses  is  some 

*  A  few  of  these  designs  are  original  ones,  furnished  for  this  ■work  by  Mr. 
Hennessey,  of  Boston,  and  Mr.  Phitt,  of  New  York.  We  are  also  indebted  to  M. 
A.  Roux,  479  Broadway,  New  York,  for  permission  to  copy  patterns  in  his 
extensive  collection.  For  a  portion  of  the  remainder  we  are  indebted  to 
Webster's  Encyclopaedia  of  Domestic  Economy,  and  Loudon's  Encyclopaedia  of 
Ardiitecture. 


FURNITUKE.  413 

modification  of  the  clas8ical  style,  and  usually  in  what  is  called 
Grecian  or  French  taste — the  former  being  characterized  by 
lines  and  forms  found  in  the  antique  classical  compositions, 
and  the  latter  being  variations  of  the  same,  with  the  addition 
of  some  modern  embellishment  of  detail  and  decoration.     » 

Modern  Grecian  fm-niture  has  the  merit  of  being  simple, 
easily  made,  and  very  moderate  in  cost.  Its  universality  is 
partly  owing  to  the  latter  circumstance,  and  partly  to  the  fact 
that  by  far  the  largest  number  of  dwellings  are  built  in  the 
same  style,  and  therefore  are  most  appropriately  furnished 
with  it. 

The  simplest  and  cheapest  kind  of  furniture  by  which  an  air 
of  taste  may  be  given  to  a  cottage,  consists  of  a  plain  box  or 
bench,  made  of  boards,  by  the  hands  of  the  master  of  the 
dwelling,  stufted  with  hay,  corn-husks,  moss,  or  hair,  held  in 
place  by  a  covering  of  coarse  canvas,  and  covered  with  chintz 
by  the  mistress  of  the  cottage.  Seats  of  all  kinds  are 
made  at  very  trifling  cost  in  this  way,  so  that,  with  a  little 
ingenuity,  a  room  may,  by  the  aid  of  a  few  boards,  nailed 
together,  a  little  stuffing  and  canvas,  and  a  few  yards  of 
shilling  chintz,  be  made  to  produce  nearly  the  same  effect  as 
one  where  the  funiitvu-e  is  worth  ten  times  as  much.  The 
next  step  is  to  add  square  pillows  or 
cushions  to  all  the  benches,  seats,  or 
couches,  in  order  that  any  person  sitting 
upon  them  may  have  a  support  for  his 
back  without  touching  the  wall.  Fig. 
187  represents  an  ottoman  made  in  this 
manner,  intended  for  the  middle  of  a 
rpig.  187.]  room.   Formed  with  the  seat  on  only  one 


414 


COUNTRY  HOUSES. 


side  of  the  upright  back,  it  is  called  a  divan ;  or,  if  broad,  the 
back  omitted,  and  pillows  placed  at  one  or  both  ends,  it  is 
called  a  couch. 


[Fig.  188.]  [Fig.  189.]  [Fig.  190.] 

Another  of  the  cheapest  and  simplest  seats  for  a  cottage  is 
the  harrel-chmr.  Fig,  188  is  a  large  one,  stuffed  in  tlie  seat 
and  back.  Fig.  189  is  a  low  one,  for  the  chimney  comer. 
Tliese  chaii-s  are  easily  made  by  sawing  off  a  portion  of  the 
barrel — nailing  on  a  few  boards,  to  form  the  scat,  and  leaving 
part  of  the  staves  a  little  higher  than  the  others,  to  form  the 
back  or  arms.  To  make  the  high-backed  chair,  the  staves 
must  be  pieced  out  a  little,  as  in  Fig,  190,  the  outside  or  rim  of 
the  back  being  confined  in  its  place  by  a  piece  of  hooj)  neatly 

applied,  Tlie  scat  and 
back  are  stuffed  with  any 
cheap  material,  covered 
with  strong  coaree  can- 
vas, and  covered  with 
chintz. 

Fig,   191   is   a  cottiige 

couch,    of    a    somewhat 

[Fig.  191.]  superior  style,  but  made 


I 


FUKNITLKE. 


415 


in  the  same  manner,  and  easily  produced,  when  there  is  a  little 
mechanical  ingenuity  in  the  family. 


[Fig.  192.] 


[Fig.  193.] 


Figs.  192  and  193  are  cottage  sofas,  from  the  cabinet-shop, 
in  simple  and  pretty  forms. 

As  successful  attempts  at  cottage  fiuTiiture  now  made  in  this 
countiy,  we  may  call  attention  to  the  complete  sets  of  chamher 
or  hecProom  furniture^  got  up  at  the  manufactory  of  Edward 
Hennessey,  49  and  51  Brattle  street,  Boston,  Mr.  H.'s  prices 
are  so  moderate,  and  the  design  and  finish  of  the  articles  so 
good,  that  his  reputation  is  an  extended  one,  and  he  supplies 
orders  from  various  parts  of  the  Union  and  the  West  Indies. 
This  furniture  is  remarkable  for  its  combination  of  lightness 
and  strength,  and  its  essentially  cottage-like  character.  It  is 
veiy  highly  finished,  and  is  usually  painted  drab,  white,  gray, 
a  delicate  lilac,  or  a  fine  blue — the  sm-face  polished  and  hard, 
like  enamel.  Some  of  the  better  sets  have  groups  of  flowers 
or  other  designs  painted  upon  them  with  artistic  skill.  When  it 
is  remembered  that  the  whole  set  for  a  cottage  bed-room  may 
be  had  for  the  price  of  a  single  wardrobe  in  mahogany,  it  wiU 
be  seen  how  comparatively  cheap  it  is.  There  are  now 
vaiious  imitators  of  this  cottage  fumitm-e  in  other  cities,  but 


416 


COUNTRY    HOUSES. 


WO   have   seen   none  so   excellent  or  cheap  as   that  made  at 
Hennessey's  warehouse. 


[Fig.  194.] 

Fig.  194  shows  one  of  these  sets.     It  consists  of 
1.  A  Dressing  Bureau.  2.  A  small  Table. 

3.  A  Wash  Sink.  4.  A  French  Bedstead. 

5.  Four  Cottage  Chairs. 
This  set,  painted  white,  drab,  or  blue,  is  sold  for  $37. 
Anotlicr  more  complete  set,  in  the  same  style,  but  intended 
for  a  larger  bed-room,  is  sIion^ti  in  Fig.  195.    This  consists  of 
1.  A  Conimodo,  or  Wa.sh-stand.  2.  A  Bureau. 

8.  A  Zomno,  or  Night-sUind.  4.  A  Bedstead. 

5.  A  Towel-stand.  6.  A  small  Table. 

7.  Four  Cottage  Chairs. 

The    price  of   this    set,  without    marble    tops,   but    highly 


FURNTTUEE. 


417 


[Pig.  195.J 

2r 


418 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


finished,  "china  white,  peach-blossom,  or  Line  ground,  single 
gilt  lines,  ornamented,"  is  $08.  The  same,  with  marble  tops 
to  several  of  the  articles,  $80.  Tlie  wardrobe  shown  with  the 
set  costs  SI 8  more. 


[Fig.  196.]  ['■'•g-  ly^.] 

Fig.  100  shows  a  simple  form  of  w^ardrobe  in  the  Italian 
style — which  may  be  made  by  any  cabinet-maker — of  jiine, 
and  cither  stained,  painted  drab,  or  grained  in  imitation  of 
oak  or  black-walnut.  The  interior  of  this  wardrobe  is  shown 
in  Fig.  197,  being  adapted  for  a  clothes-press  or  linen-closet. 
Fig.  270,  on  a  succeeding  page,  shows  a  wardrobe  proper,  as 
usually  made— one  side  provided  with  hooks,  for  hanging  up 
dresses,  and  the  other  with  shelves,  for  laying  linen,  etc., 
upon. 

Iron  hedstcads  are  to  be  had  now  in  New  York,  of  a  great 
variety  of  patterns — some  of  beautiful  designs.  Tlie  latter, 
however,  are  as  dear,  and  not  so  satisfactory  as  those  of  wood. 
But  the  simple  forms  are  offered  at  low  prices,  and  for  cleanliness 


FURNITURE. 


419 


and  durability,  are  the  best  of  all 
bedsteads  for  servants'  bed-rooms. 

A  neat   and   satisfactory  dining- 
room    set    for  a  cottage,  made    at 
Hennessey's    warehouse,    is    shown 
in     Fig.    198.       This    set     consists 
of    an    extension-top     dining-table, 
which,  when  closed,  measures  four 
feet,  and  when  extended  (as  shown 
I  in  tlie  cut),  measures  12  feet,  and 
i  will  seat  12  persons ;  a  side  table, 
3   feet    long    and   2   feet  4   inches 
wide,   with    drawers;    and   8   arm- 
chairs,    with      cane      seats.       The 
whole  is  furnished  at  $50,  made  of 
oak,   maple,   or  birch,   as    may  be 
preferred.     This  set   is   in  a  mixed 
style— rather     Flemish     or     Eliza- 
bethan than  Grecian,  but  will  not 
be   out  of  keeping  with  a   cottage 
or    ]>lain   country  house.      Tlie   chairs   are 
strongly  l)raced,  and  not  so  slender  as  they 
appear  in  the  engraving. 

A  plain  pine  sideboard,  in  the  Grecian 
style,  for  a  cottage,  which  may  be  made  by 
any  carpenter,  and  grained  or  painted,  to 
correspond  with  the  rest  of  the  furniture, 
is  shown  in  Fig.  199.  Fig.  200  is  another 
design  in  a  sim^^le  Italian  taste. 
Pedestal  sidebomxls^  like  the  latter,  are 


420 


OOUXTRY   HOUSES. 


made  in  a  great  variety 
of  foniis.  and  are  not  only 
the  most  characteristic  of 
all  fm-niture  for  the  din- 
ing-room, but  also  the 
most  useful.  Under  the 
top  may  be  placed  draw- 
ers for  tablecloths,  nap- 
kins, etc.,  and  the  side 
doore  may  inclose  shelves 
and  drawers  for  holding 
plate,  wines,  etc.,  while 
the  open  space  between 
the  pedestals  is  a  suit- 
able place  for  a  wine- 
cooler,  or  for  tea-trays, 
when  not  in  use.  Where 
there  is  not  an  abundance 


[Fig.  -201.1 


of  closet  or  pantry  space  attached  to  the  dining-room,  a  large 
sideboard  is  indispensable. 

The  Tnoving  sideboard,  Figs.  201  and  202,  is  a  very  conve- 


FUKNTTURE. 


421 


nient  piece  of  dining-room  fumitm-e  for  receiving  dishes, 
holding  dessert,  etc.,  when  there  is  not  room  for  a  large 
sideboard,  and  is  fi-equentlj  used,  even  where  there  is  one — 
as,  being  light,  and  upon  castors,  they  may  be  wheeled  from  one 
part  of  the  room  to  the  other,  and  may  even  perform,  in  part, 
the  duties  of  a  servant,  in  time  of  need.  These  designs,  which 
are  in  the  French  taste,  may  easily  be  simplified  in  detail, 
without  impairing  their  good  effect. 


[Fig.  203.] 

Briggs's  newly  invented  extension  dining-table.  Fig.  203,  is 
more  easily  managed  and  cheaper  than  the  common  form.  It 
closes  with  the  aid  of  a  small  windlass ;  there  is  a  leg  in  the 
centre  which  supports  the  additional  leaves  when  extended,  and 
is  received  in  a  hollow  space  in  the  solid  column  of  the  table ; 
the  whole  appears  like  an  ordinary  circular  centre-table,  when 
shut  up. 


[Fig.  204.]  [Fig.  205.] 

Small  Ireakfa^t  or  Ua  tcibles^  Figs.  204  and  205,  are  useful 
and  indispensable  articles  of  funiitm*e  in  a  cottage. 


422 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


Ladies'  worh-tahles^  Fig.  206, 
are  popular  English  furniture 
for  the  sitting-room,  and  are 
usually  made  of  mahogany  or 
walnut,  and  fitted  up  with  a 
silk  bag  Mnth  a  fringe,  attached 
to  a  frame  that  draws  out. 
This  bag  is  a  very  convenient 
receptacle  of  various  articles 
of  needle-work,  which  other- 
wise would,  perhaps,  lie  about 
upon  chairs  or  sofas,  to  the 
discomfort  of  all  parties,  and 
[Fig.  206.]  the  detriment  of  the  work  itself. 

The  lower  one  is  a  small  circular  work-table  for  fancy  work, 

that  may  have  a  place  in  the  parlor. 

A  prettier  and  more  convenient  article  for  this  purpose,  and 

one  more  suitable  to  the  parlor,  is  the  hasket-stand,  Figs.  207 

and   208,  being  easily  lifted 

and  carried   about   from  one 

])art  of  the  room  to  another — 

wherever    it    may    be    most 

agreeable  to  sit.    These   are 

made  in  various  modes,  eitlior 

very  tastefully  and  fancifully 

of    rosewood    or    mahogany, 

curiously  carved,  for  the  %  ilia ; 

or  of  rustic  work,  varnished, 

in   the  Swiss   nuinner ;  or  of  [Fig.  207.]  [Fig.  208.] 

bamboo,  at^er  the  Chinese  tashion,  for  the  cottage. 


FUKNITURE. 


423 


[Fig.  209.] 


A  very  useful  piece  of  fumitm-e  for  the  cottage  parlor,  is  one 
made  in  a  great  variety  of  forms — Fig.  209  being  one  of  the 

simplest.  It  is  called  a  what-jiot  by 
tlie  English,  and  an  etagere  by  the 
French.  It  usually  stands  in  the 
corner  of  the  room,  and  is  employed 
as  a  stand  for  little  articles,  curiosities, 
books,  or  whatever  trifles  of  useful  or 
ornamental  character  may  accumu- 
late, with  no  other  special  place  de- 
voted to  them. 

Though  few  cottages   of  moderate 
size  have  a  room  specially  set  apart  for 
a  library,  no  cottage  in  America  need  be  without  books.     K  no 
better  means   of   j^lacing   them   is   within    reach,   the    simple 
hmiging  hookrshel/oes^  Fig.   210,  which  may 
be  made  by  any  one,  with  a  few  pieces  of 
board   and  some  strong  cord,  will  suffice ; 
and  the  waUs  of  an  humble  cottage  sitting- 
room,  decorated  in  this  way,  have  a  higher 
[Fig.  210.]  meaning  there  than  those  of  the  most  superb 

picture-gallery  in  a  villa  —  since  we  know  that  it  signifies 
intellectual  taste  in  the  former  case,  while  it  may^  perhaps,  be 
only  a  love  of  display  in  the  other,  A  better  mode  of  forming 
book-shelves,  is  that  of  substituting  sides  of  the  same  material 
as  the  shelves,  for  the  cords,  as  shown  in  page  45-i. 

The  secretm-y^  or  writing-desk,  is  an  exceedingly  useful  piece 
of  furniture,  and  may  be  found,  at  the  cabinet-maker's,  in  a 
great  variety  of  forms.  Fig.  211  is  one  in  the  French  classical 
taste — the  flap  of  which  falls  down  to  fonn  the  writing-table, 


424 


COUNTRY   HOUSKS. 


and  when  sliut  up,  forms  part  of 
the  panelled  front.  The  shelf  on 
the  top  may  liold  books  or  vases 
for  jflowers,  etc. 

Lihrcnnf  tables  are  generally  more 
inas^sive  than  any  other  tablas,  and 
:a'e  usually  inlaid  upon  the  t(ip  Avith 
morocco  or  cloth,  to  afford  a 
smooth  surface  for  writing  upon. 
[Fig.  iiii.j  Figs.  212  and  213  are  good  speci- 

mens of  the  ordinary  treatment  of  this  piece  of  furniture  in  the 
classical  style. 

A   more   complete,   modern   lil)rary   table,   suitable   for  the 


[Fig.  212.]  [Fig.  213.] 

library  of  a  professional  or  literary  man,  is  shown  in  Fig.  214. 
It  is  called  a  pedestal  lihrary  tahle.  It  may  have  di-awere  on 
both  sides,  or  dooi-s  and  cupboards  on  one  side  and  drawei*s  on 
the  other.  "  There  is  a  rising  flap  on  the  top,  which  may  be 
raised  to  any  height,  t»j  write  or  read  upon ;  and  when  not 
required,  it  can  be  let  down  flush  with  the  top  of  the  table. 
Tiie  ends  are  hinged  at  the  bottom,  and  fold  outward ; 
ren)aining  open,  in  consequence  of  being  supported  by  a  stay- 
joint  near  the  bottom.  This  forms  a  very  convenient  place 
for  portfolios  or  large  drawings.     The  depth  of  the  recess  may 


FURNITTJEE. 


425 


be  varied,  according  to  the  width  of  the  pilasters.    The  top  is 
covered  with  embossed  Russia  leather." 


[Fig.  214.] 

Bookcases  for  a  library  in  the  Grecian  or  modern  style 
are  too  familiar  to  need  illustration,  being  usually  little  more 
than  glazed  cases,  with  Grecian  architraves  and  mouldings. 

Lihrcvry  cliairs  should  be  rather  heavy  and  solid,  compared 
with  those  of  the  di-a wing-room  or  dining-room,  "We  jsrefer 
those  made  of  oak  or  black-walnut,  and  covered  with  leather. 
The  sort  lately  come  into  use,  and  kno^vn  as  alinoiid  leather^ 
is   excellent  for  this  purpose.    It  may  be  had  of  all   colors, 


[Fig.  215.]  [Fig.  216.]  [t^g.  217.] 

including  bronzed  or  embossed  patteras.     Figs.  215,  216,  and 
217,  are  examples  of  library  chaii-s  in  a  pure  classical  style. 


426 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


Forms  niueli  simpler  may  be  easily  obtained.  The  great 
desideratmn  in  a  chair  of  this  description,  is  a  well-stulled  seat, 
and  an  easy  enrve  to  the  back,  united  to  pleasing  outline  and 
proportions.  Oiu'  American  cabinet-makei-s  have  lately  made 
some  improvements  in  these  respects,  in  cheap  furnitm-e,  even 
upon  the  best  European  models. 

Fig.    218    is    a   reading- 
chair  of  a  simple  and  good 
form,  a  very  useful  piece  of 
fm'uiture,  having  a  desk  for 
a  book  on  one  arm,  and  a 
stand  for  a  candle  on  the 
other — both    being    mova- 
ble— and    easily  lilled   out 
and  put  away,  when  not  in 
use.   A  still  better  form  now 
to  be  had,  contains  the  book- 
stand and  candlestick  on  the  same  side,  and  has  also  a  movable 
foot-board  attached  to  the  chair,  and  the  back  so  contrived  as 
to  be  easily  adjusted  in  any  position  which  comfort  dictates. 
A  drawing-room  sofa.,  in  the  purest  classical  taste,  is  showTi 


[Fig.  218.] 


in  Fisr.  219.    The  contrast  of  horizontal  and  curved  lines,  the 
proportion,  and  the  details  of  this  sofa,  are  nearly  perfect,  as  a 


FURNTTUEE. 


m 


combination  of  graceful  outline  and  excellent  adaptation. 
Even  the  footstool  which  accompanies  it  (always  a  rather 
difficult  subject)  is  designed  with  the  same  purity  of  form  and 
detail. 

A  classical  sofa,  in  the 
French  taste,  is  shown 
in  Fig.  220. 

Though   tasteful    and 
pleasing,  it  will  not  bear 
comparison  with  the  pre- 
[Fig.  220.]  ceding  one. 

A  houcloir  sofa^  in  the  same  style,  exceedingly  pretty  in 
outline  and  detail,  is  seen  in  Fig.  221.  This  would  also  be 
appropriate,  when  a  pair  of  sofas  were  needed  in  tlie  same 
room,  and  the  room  only  of  moderate  size.  These  sofas  are 
usually  covered  with  figured  damask,  either  worsted  or  silk, 
but  the  stuff  should  always  be  chosen  to  harmonize,  both  in 
material  and  color,  with  the  room  in  which  it  is  to  be  placed. 
For  country  houses  of  moderate  cost,  the  covering  of  all  fm'ni- 
tm'e  should  be  rather  heavy  and  serviceable  than  fanciful  and 
showy — constant  utility  being  more  important  than  occasional 
elegance. 

The  ottoman  is  a  piece  of  fm*nitm'e 
which  we  borrow  fi-om  oriental 
countries,  and  which  has  become 
quite  popular  among  us  of  late.  It  is 
in  excellent  keeping  with  buildings 
in  the  classical  or  Venetian  style,  and  in  hot  climates,  affords 
a  more  agreeable  lounge  than  any  other  seat  whatever — ^vhile. 
if  made  of  a  good  breadth,  it  will  also  serve  as  a  bed,  should 


[Fig.  221.J 


4:28 


COUNTRY   noUSES. 


occasion  require. 


Ottomans  are  made  in  various  forms,  from 
the  simple  continuous 
seat,  extending  roimd 
the  wall.  Fig.  222,  to 
the  octagonal  stufled 
seat.  Perhaps  the 
most  pleasing  form  is 
the  octagonal  ottoman 
[Pig.  222.]  (see  Fig.   242),  placed 

in  the  middle  of  a  large  room.  Ottomans,  generally,  being 
wholly  covered  with  stuflfs,  and  not  showing  any  costly  wood, 
are  much  cheaper  than  sofas — and,  unless  the  latter  are  of 
beautiful  forms,  are  therefore  preferable. 

Soforbeds^  which  may  now  be  found  in  a  variety  of  forms,  at 
most  of  the  modern  upholsterere,  are  pieces  of  furniture,  having 
externally  the  exact  appearance  of  a  sofa,  ottoman,  or  divan, 
but  which  are  so  contrived,  that  the  seat  draws  out,  so  as  to 
form  a  comfortable  bed  in  a  moment,  and  with  very  little 
trouble.  They  are  particularly  convenient  in  a  house  where  the 
number  of  bed-rooms  is  limited — or  as  seats  for  dressing-rooms, 

enabling  the  mistress 
of  the  house,  when  her 
hospitality  is  severely 
tiixed,  to  turn  a  dress- 
ing-room into  a  bed- 
room at  a  moment's 
notice. 

Centre  -  tahles,      Fig. 
[Fig.  223.]  223,   have    long    been 

popular  pieces  of  parlor  furniture.     In  towns,  they  have  gi\eD ' 


FUKNITUEE,  429 


place  to  sofa-tables— as  the  latter,  scattered  here  and  there  in  a 
room,  afford  various  gathering-places  for  little  conversation  par- 
ties— while  the  centre-table  draws  all  talkers  to  a  single  focus. 

As  the  centre-table  is  to  i;s  the  emblem  of  the  family  circle, 
and   the  sofa-table  that  of   the   evening  party,   we  think  the 


^^S.  224.]  ^  fFig.  225J 

former  should  hold  its  place  in  the  coimtry,  par  excellence. 
Figs.  224  and  225  are  plain  Grecian  forms  of  the  sofa-table— 
more  elaborate  and  fanciful  ones  being  easily  obtained.  Both 
sofa  and  centre  tables  depend  for  their  good  effect  mauily  on 
the  drapery  or  cover  of  handsome  cloth  or  stuff  usually  spread 
upon  their  tops,  and  concealing  all  but  the  lower  part  of  the 
legs. 

The  2>^ct'>^o-forte  is  the  universal  accompaniment  of  the 
drawing-room  or  parlor  in  America.  Even  in  simple  cottages, 
where  such  a  thing  woidd  excite  astonishment  in  Em-ope,  the 
piano  will  be  found.  It  by  no  means  follows  that  a  knowledge 
of  music  is  equally  universal— but  the  desire  for  it  certainly  is ; 
and  if,  as  we  suspect,  music  demands  more  age  and  higher 
culture  than  om-  young  nation  has  yet  attained,  we  will  have 
faith  that,  by-and-by,  we  may  be  as  musical  a  people  as  the 
Germans.  We  do  not  give  here  any  designs  for  piano-fortes, 
because  they  are  usually  made  in  better  taste  than  any  other 


430 


CX)UNTRY   HOUSES. 


article  of  fiimitiire  in  this  country — perhaps,  because  more 
expensive  than  any  other.  They  may  be  had  of  the  best 
makers,  in  all  the  piiucipal  styles  of  design. 

Mmi^-stooh,  rmmc-stands^  and  rmmc  ca7it€7'huri€S,  are  all 
indispensable  pieces  of  furniture  for  the  drawing-room  of  the 
country  house,  when  there  is  decided  musical  taste  in  the 
family. 


fFig.  226.] 


[Fiff.  230.]  [Fig.  231.] 

.X..  .._J 


[Fig.  228.] 


[Fig.  229.] 


[Fig.  232.] 


Firescreens  are  more  necessary  in  country  than  town 
houses,  because  open  fii'es  are  more  univei-sal  in  the  former. 
Fig.  227  is  an  extension  fire-screen,  the  sides  and  top  drawing 
out  wlieii  required.  It  is  chiefly  used  in  tlie  dining-room  to 
screen  the  dining-table  from  the  fire.  Fig.  226  is  a  clieval 
SGi'een  for  a  parlor;  the  frame  of  mahogany,  and  the  panel 
filled  with  ornamental  embroidery  or  tapestry.  Figs.  22S  and 
229  are  drawing-room  fire-screens,  easily  made  by  suspending  a 
piece  of  silk  on  a  wooden  or  brass  rod,  with  a  base  like  that  in 


FUENirtTRE. 


431 


Fig.  230.  Fig.  230  is  another,  the  screen  formed  of  fluted  silk ; 
and  Figs.  231  and  232  have  the  screen  formed  by  a  single 
piece  of  plate-glass.  The  latter  are  both  cm-ions  and  orna- 
mental, as  they  enable  one  to  see  the  fii'e  without  feeling  it — 
since,  though  the  solar  light  and  heat  readily  pass  through  glass, 
yet  the  radiated  rays  producing  the  heat  of  a  fire  are  almost 
wholly  cut  off  by  it. 

For  the  bed-rooms  of  villas  in  this  style,  in  this  country,  the 
simple  French  fumiture,  in  the  same  plain,  modern,  classical 
taste,  is  almost  universally  preferred.  The  high  four-post 
bedstead,  with  curtains,  still  common  in  England,  is  almost 
entirely  laid  aside  in  the  United  States  for  the  French  bedstead, 
low,  and  without  curtains,  as  in  Fig.  191.  Indeed,  for  the 
majority  of  country  houses,  of  the  first  class,  we  prefer  Hen- 
nessey's painted  cottage  furnitm-e  to  the  more  elaborate  and 
expensive,  but  less  appropriate  and  useful,  designs  carved  in 
expensive  woods.  A  very  good  specimen  of  a  modem  bedstead 
with   canopy  and   dra2)ery  complete,  in  the  English  taste,  is 


[Fig.  233.] 


[Fig.  234.] 


432  COUNTEY   HOUSKS. 

represented  in  Fig.  233,  luul  another  in  the  French  taste  in 
Fig.  234. 

ModeiTi  French  fiu^iitnre^  and  especially  that  in  the  style  of 
Louis  Quatorse^  stands  much  higher  in  general  estimation  in 
this  country  than  any  other.  Its  union  of  lightness,  elegance, 
and  grace  renders  it  especially  the  favorite  of  ladies.  For 
country  houses  we  would  confine  its  use,  chiefly,  to  the  drawing- 
room  or  boudoir,  using  the  more  simple  and  massive  classical 
forms  for  the  library,  dining-room,  and  other  apartments. 

"The  style  of  Louis  XIV.  is  known  by  its  abundance  of 
light,  ornamental  scroll-work,  and  foliage.  Its  elegance  of  form, 
though  not  of  the  first  order,  together  with  its  admission  of 
every  species  of  enrichment,  as  carving,  gilding,  painting,  inlay- 
ing, with  coverings  of  the  richest  silks,  velvets,  and  the  choicest 
stuffs,  admirably  adapt  it  for  the  modern  drawing-room.  Cer- 
tainly no  kind  of  furniture  equals  it  in  general  splendor  of 
appearance." — {Ency.  of  Dom.  Econ)  Tlie  style  of  Louis  XIY. 
is  characterized  by  greater  delicacy  of  foliage  ornamentation,  and 
greater  intricacy  of  detail.  We  may  add  to  this,  that  besides 
the  greater  elegance  of  most  French  drawing-room  furniture,  its 
superior  workmanship,  and  the  luxurious  ease  of  its  admirably 
constructed  seats,  strongly  commend  it  to  popular  favor.* 

Figs.  235,  236,  and  237,  are  specimens  of  light  drawing-room 
chaii-s   in   the   modern    French    style.      There   is  just   at   the 


*  At  tlie  warehouse  of  M.  A.  Roux,  Broadway,  may  be  found  a  large  collection 
of  furniture  for  the  drawing-room,  library,  etc. — the  most  tasteful  designs  of  Louis 
Quatorze,  Renaissance,  Gothic,  etc.,  to  be  found  in  the  country — many  of  whicli  we 
should  gladly  liave  copied  for  our  pages  had  we  seen  them  earlier.  The  chairs  and 
sofas  are  particularly  elegant. 


FUKNITUKE. 


433 


[Fig.  23.5.]  [Fig.  23G.]  [Fig.  237.] 

present  nioment,  a  rage  for  very  light  and  fancifiillj  carved 
chairs  for  drawing-rooms,  far  more  elaborate  than  these;  and 
they   are    certainly   remarkable    for    their    great    combination 

of  lightness  and  strength. 
Fig.  238  is  a  drawing- 
room  sofa  in  the  Louis 
Quatorze  style.  An  otto- 
man for  the  centre  of  a 


drawing-room  is  shown  at 


[Fig.  238. 

cushions  or  pillows  rest.  The 
effect  is  gi-aceful  and  j)retty. 
We  cannot  say  as  much  for 
Fig.  240 — a  couch  in  the  same 
style.  K  the  reader  -will  turn 
back  for  a  moment  and  com- 
pare the  two,  he  will  see  how 
awkward     and     destitute    of 


Fig.  239. 

Tliis  has  a  central  piece, 
stuffed,  against  which  the 


[Fig.  239.] 

gi'ace 

is 

the    outline 

28 

of    this 


434 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


[Fig.  240.] 


couch  as  compared  with  the 
sofa. 

A  far  more  successful  ex- 
ample (from  M.  Roux's)  is 
Fig.  241,  a  sofa  which  unites 
graceful  form  and  good  or- 
namentation, with  luxurious 
ease  in  the  seat. 

Fig.  242  is  a  group  of 
furniture  from  the  warehouse  of  Piatt,  60  Broadway,  New  York. 
It  consists  of  a  chair,  fire-screen,  and  ottoman,  iu  the  Louis 
XIV.  style. 

The  ottoman  is  re- 
markable for  its  ele- 
gance and  an  expres- 
sive dignity,  arising 
from  its  large  size  and 
good  proportions.  It 
is  octagonal  in  shape, 


[Fig.  241.] 


and    In   the   centre  of  a   large   square,  octagonal,   or   circular 


FUKNTTUKE. 


436 


saloon,  would  have  a  fine  effect.     There  are,  of  course,  several 

pillows,  though  only  two  are  shown  in  the  engraving. 

Fig.  243  is  a  hro/iketrshdf^ 
Fig.  244  a  side-table^  and 
Fig.  245  an  encoignew\  also 
fi-om  original  designs  of  Mr, 
Piatt.  The  bracket,  which 
is  4  feet  long,  is  intended  to 
be  fixed  against  the  wall — 
[Fig.  243.]  hi  some  blank  space,  where 

it    serves    the    purpose   of  a 

table,  as  a  place  for  books, 

vases    of   flowei-s,    and    rare 

articles  of  virtu.     Fig.   245, 

devoted  to  the  same  purpose, 

is  intended  to  be  fixed  in  the 

comer  of  a  room. 

These  are  made  in  black-  [Fig.  244.] 

I  Jot                 walnut    or    rosewood,    carved,   or    in 
U'f  j:)  

I I  '^r-  ,  wood   and   composition — m   mutation 

of  dark  oak — or  relieved  by  gilding. 

ISTothing  so  much  adds  to  the  splen- 
dor and  gayety  of  an  apartment   as 
tnirrars.      Although  we  would    intro- 
duce them   nowhere  else  in  a  country 
house,  we  think  one  or  two  large  ones 
are  indispensable  in  the  drawing-room 
[Fig.  245.  Enc^^^Louis  XV.]  of  a  first-rate   villa.      The  two  most 
effective  positions   for  mirrors   are   as  chimney  mantel-glasses 
and   pier-glasses.     A  mantel-glass,  designed  to  form  a  whole 


436 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


witli  the  chimney,  and  reaching  nearly  to  tlie  height  of  tlie 
ceiling,  always  has  a  more   architectui-al  efi'ect  than  in  any 


[I-ig.  246.] 


[Fig.  247.] 


other  place.  Fig.  246  is  a  mantel-glass  in  the  Louis  XV. 
style,  of  pleasing  design.  Fig.  247  shows  a  portion  of  a  pier- 
glass,  with  the  pier-table  below  it,  in  the  Louis  XFV^..  style. 


^;-.4.  .  ^••■ID'JBMmBli 

M 

[Fi-:.  -i  [Fig.  249.] 

Figs.  248  and  24y  are  ft'om  the  manufiictory  of  Rinix.     Tlie 


FURNITURE, 


437 


former  is  a  handsome  carved  etagere  for  the  drawing-room  ; 

the  latter,  a  i^retty  and  tasteful  lady's  escritoire,  or  wTiting- 

desk.  It  is  represented 

as    it    ajDpears    M'hen 

closed.  When  the  door 

which  forms  the  front 

[Fig.  250.]  opens,  it  tmnis  down, 

and  forms  a  neat  and  steady 

writing-table,  with  all  the 
appurtenances  of  correspond- 
ence at  hand.  It  is  more 
delicately  caiwed  than  is  here 
shown,  and  is  altogether  a 
very  pretty  and  useful  piece 
of  furniture. 

Fig.  2.50  is  a  settee,  hand- 

[Fig.  251.] 

somely  carved  in  oak,  suit- 
able for  a  hall  or  billiard- 
room.  This,  as  well  as 
Fig.  251,  a  rich  toilet- 
table,  in  the  Louis  Qua- 
torze  style,  is  from  the 
designs  of  Mr.  Piatt,  and 
may  be  seen  executed  at 
his  show-rooms.  A  ward- 
robe, in  a  simple  French 
style,  is  seen  at  Fig.  252. 
A  great  variety  of  light 
and  fanciM  tables  is  pro- 
duced by  the  French  furni- 


[Fig.  252.] 


438 


COUNTKY    HOUSES. 


ture  makers.  Tlicy  are  not  only  useful  in  the  di-awing-room 
for  books,  ladies'  work,  flower-baskets,  etc.,  but  tliey  give  an 
air  uf  feminine  taste  and  occupation  to  an  apartment,  without 


[Fig.  253.] 


[Fig.  254.] 


which  it  is  apt  to  look  stiff  and  solemn.  Fig.  2.j3  is  a  very  use- 
ful species  of  light  table,  for 
tea,  <»r  an  occasional  side- 
table  ;  as,  when  the  leaves 
are  shut  down,  it  occupies 
less  space  than  any  other 
—  table,  and  may  be  set  against 

[Fig.  255.]  [Fig.  256.]  tlic  Wall  iu  the  library  or 

sitting-room.  Fig.  254  (draNvn 
on  too  large  a  scale)  is  an- 
other light  table  in  rosewood, 
by  Roux. 

Small  .-</// /J r/.v,  for  vases  of 
flowers,  candlesticks,  etc.,  are 
among  the  prettiest  and   most  [Fig.  257.] 

elegant  pieces  of  furniture  for  the  drawing-room,  and  may  be 


FUBNTTDKE. 


439 


A;«(.0^V>,  "aC . 


[Fig.  258.] 


found    of    Aery    tasteful 
designs,  either  at  Piatt's 
or  Koux's,  in  Kew  York. 
French  Furniture^  in 
the  style  of  Francis  Z, 
\^  is  sllo\\^l  in  Figs.  255  to 
260.     This   furniture,  as 
will  be  seen  by  a  glance 
at  the  figures,  owes   its 
character    chiefly  to   antique   de- 
tails rather  more  delicately  treated 
than  the  Elizabethan.     Bein^  of 
mixed  character,  it  may  be  used 
with  propriety  either  in  Italian, 
Bracketed,  or  Gothic  houses — but 
only  for  the  drawing-rooms — as  it 
^''^-  ^^-^  is  too  ornate  for  any  other  apart- 

ment. It  has  neither  the  quaint- 
ness  and  boldness  of  the  ti'ue     f' 
Renaissance,  nor   the  graceful 
curved  lines  of  the  Louis  XIY, 

furniture — and  thous^h  rich,  has  M 

.       It- 
rather  a  frippery  character  in 

its  details.  The  idea  embodied 
in  the  small  octagonal  otto- 
man. Fig.  256,  of  holding  a 
basket  bouquet  of  flowei's, 
fixed  in  wet  sand,  in  a  tray, 
supported    by    the    centre,    is  ^^^^'  ~^'^ 

very  good,  and  would  have  a  pretty  and  agi-eeable  effect  in 


440  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

I 

such  an  ottoman,  carried  out  in  this  or  any  other  style.  Fig. 
260  is  a  sliowy  pier-table  and  glass — inferior,  however,  in  point 
of  taste,  to  Fig.  247. 

n. — Furniture  in  the  Gothic  Style. 

Well-designed  furniture  in  this  style  is  rarely  seen  in  this 
country,  and  is  far  from  common  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Atlantic.  The  radical  objection  to  Gothic  fumiture,  as  gen- 
erally seen,  is,  that  it  is  too  elaborately  Gothic — with  the  same 
high-pointed  arches,  crockets,  and  carving  usually  seen  in  the 
front  of  some  cathedral.  Elaborate  exliibition  of  style  gives 
it  too  ostentatious  and  stately  a  character.  Hence,  in  many 
of  the  finest  Gothic  mansions  abroad,  Elizabetlian  or  Flemish 
fiu'niture  has  long  been  used  in  preference  to  Gothic  fumiture, 
as  combining  the  picturesque  and  the  domestic  lar  more  suc- 
cessfully than  the  latter. 

There  has  been  little  attempt  made  at  ada})ting  furniture  in 
this  style  to  the  more  simple  Gothic  of  our  villas  and  countiy 
houses  in  America.  Yet  we  are  confident  this  may  be  done  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  unite  a  simple  and  chaste  Gothic  style  with 
forms  adapted  to  and  expressive  of  our  modern  domestic  life. 

Ill  the  mean  time,  we  give  a  few  examples  of  Gothic  furni- 
ture, such  as  it  is  wow  seen  in  tlic  Avarehouses  of  our  principal 
cabinet-makers — chiefly  to  familiarize  the  eye  of  the  reader  with 
this,  as  contn\sted  with  other  styles — hoping  f(.»r  something 
better  in  the  way  of  design  at  no  distant  time.* 

*  The  most  correct  Gothic  furniture  that  wc  have  yet  seen  executed  in  this 
country  is  by  Burns  and  Tranque,  Broadway,  New  York.  Some  excellent  speci- 
incns  may  also  be  seen  at  Roux's. 


FURNITLUKE. 


441 


Fig.  261  is  an  antique 
settle,  suitable  for  a  large 
hall  in  a  country  house  in  the 
Gothic  style.  It  is  made  of 
oak  or  walnut,  with  a  leather 
cushion. 

A  liat  amd  cloak  stand,  in  a 
very  simple  modification  of 
the  Gothic  style,  for  the  en 
ti-ance-hall,  is  shown  in  Fig.  262.  This 
may  be  made  by  any  carpenter.  For 
simple  cottages,  it  would  answer  made 
of  pine,  stained;  but  for  a  superior 
house,  it  should  be  made  of  oak  or  wal- 
nut. At  the  bottom  is  a  place  for 
umbrellas,  which  should  have  a  mova- 
ble tin  tray  placed  in  it,  to  catch  the 
water. 

Cottuge  chairs,  of  a  simple  pattern, 
very  suitable  for  the  ordinary  rooms  of 
plain  country  houses  in  this  style,  are 
sliown  in  Figs.  263  to  265.  Fig.  264  is 
a  chair  more  strictly  in  the  Norman  or 
Romanesque  style.  Cane  and  rush-bot- 
tomed chairs  are  particularly  useful  in  country  houses,  because 
one  is  not  afraid  of  spoiling  them ;  and  the  same  simple  forms 
may  be  rendered  much  more  elegant,  by  stuffing  the  seats,  and 
covering  them  with  hair-cloth,  or  various  colored  worsted  stuffs. 
Arii-ircliairs,  Figs.  266  and  267,  are  suitable  for  the  hall  or 
common  sitting-room. 


[Fig.  262.J 


442 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


Elaborate  bed-room  furniture  in  tlie  Gothic  style  is  seldom 
seen    in   country  houses   in   the  United  States.     More  simple 


[Fig.  263.]  [Fig.  S564.]  [Fig.  265.] 

sets  of  cottage  fm-niture,  in  an  Elizabethan  or  mixed  style,  are 
preferred,  as  cheaper  and  more  appropriate.  Fig.  268  repre- 
sents one  of  Hennessey's  sets,  which  may  be  had  in  dark  wood, 
or  tastefully  painted,  the  ground  of  drab,  enriched  with  well- 
executed  vignettes  in  the  panels,  and  marble  tops  to  the  prin- 
cipal articles,  at  from  $70  to  $100  the  set,  including  four  chairs. 


[Fig.  2GC.]  [Fig.  267.] 

A  Gothic  character  may  easily  be  given  to  plain  chamber 
furniture  by  any  joiner  or  cabinet-maker  who  has  tools  to  make 


FDENTmRE. 


443 


the  necessary  mouldings.     A  hint  for  the  treatment  of  such 


[Fig.  268.] 

frnTiiture  may  be  taken  from  the  plain  Gothic   wardi'obe,  Fig. 


[Fig.  269.]  [Fig.  270.] 

269.     Fig.  270  shows  the  interior  of  the  same.     Let  this  ward- 


444 


COTINTKY   HOUSES. 


_«> 


robe   be   made   of  handsome  black-walnut,  and  the  panels  in 
front  filled  with  a  single  plate   of  looking-glass  (which   Avould 

thus  have  a  double  use 
in  a  bed-room),  and  this 
plain  design  would  be 
at  once  chaste  and  rich 
enough  for  any  country 
house. 

A  very   simple,   small 
sideboard    for    a    Gothic 
cottage    is    seen    in    the 
accompanying  Fig.,  271, 
which  may  be  made  by  any  car- 
penter. 

A  corner  boolrase,  in  tlie  sim- 


[rig.  271 


A 

■ 

I 
1 

A 

A 

i 

n 


[Fig.  5272,] 


[I'ig.  273.] 

jilest  Gothic  style,  is  shown  in 
Fig.  272.  It  would  answer  well,  if 
nccessaiy,  as  a  china-closet,  in  the 
sitting-room  of  such  a  cottage. 


FUKNTTUEE. 


445 


Hanging  looh-shelves^  like  Fig.  273,  exceedingly  well  adapted 
for  a  small  house  where  there  is  no  regular  library,  or  for 
bed-rooms,  even  where  there  is  one,  are  easily  made,  and  are 
both  useful  and  agreeable  to  the  eye  in  a  country  cottage. 


[Fig.  274.] 


[Fig.  275.] 


Figs.  274  and  275  are  two  very  correct  and  satisfactory 
designs,  from  Loudon's  Encyclopaedia,  for  bookcases  in  a 
Gothic  villa.  When  there  is  a  large  collection  of  books  to  be 
provided   for,   either  of  these   designs   may  be   ado^Dted,  and 


446 


CWUNTRY  HOUSES. 


extended  along  botli  sides  or  all  round  the  library.  The  spaces 
below  afford  excellent  closets  for  pamphlets  and  manuscripts, 
and  the  busts  of  distinguished  men,  in  different  departments  of 
lettei's,  may  be  so  placed  along  the  top  as  to  designate  to  what 
particular  class  of  books  the  space  directly  below  is  allotted. 


[Fig.  276.]  [Fig.  277.]  [Tig.  278.] 

Drawing-room   and  lihranj  chairs  in  the  Gothic  style  are 
generally  expensive   and   elaborate,   being  covered   with   rich 


[Fig.  279.] 


FURNITURE. 


447 


stufts,  and  highly   carved.     Fig.  27C  is   an   arm-chair  in  tlie 
English  taste,  partly  Elizabethan  and  partly  Gothic.    Fig.  27Y 


[Hg.  280.] 

is  a  quaint  arm-chair,  very  suitable  for  the  library.  Fig.  278 
is  the  most  chaste  and  refined  design  of  the  three,  and,  if 
made  rather  smaller  than  here  shown,  would  be  a  very  suitable 
drawing-room  chair  for  a  villa  in  this  style.  The  top  of  Fig. 
276  is  too  elaborate  and  ecclesiastical  in  character  for  most 
private  houses — or,  at  least,  only  one  or  two  such  chaii*s,  at  the 
most,  are  all  that  should  ever  be  introduced  there.    We  much 

prefer,  when  richness 
'is  requisite,  to  get  it, 
in  Gothic  furniture,  by 
covering  rather  plain 
and  simple  designs 
with  rich  stuffs,  rath- 
er than  by  the  ex- 
ITig- 281.1  hibition    of   elaborate 


us 


COUNTRY    HOUSES. 


Gothic  caning,  tlie  effect  of  which  is  usually  rather  severe  and 
angidar,  when  applied  to  funiitiu-e. 

The   preceding  Fig.,  2S1,  is  a  dining-table   (which   extends 


WfJfl!Wf 


I 


[Fig.  28-2.]  [Fig.  283.] 

80  as  to  dine  IG  pei*sons);  Fig.  282  an  etagere  sideboard ;  and 
Fig.  283  a  dining-room  cliair,  all  in  excellent  taste.  They  are 
copied  from  funiituro  in  tlie  ware-rooms  of  Mr.  Roux,  T^ew 
York,  where  they  may  be  seen,  admirably  made  of  oak,  and, 
like  all  furniture,  apjjcaring  much  better  in  reality  than  in  oiu" 
representations. 


ni. — Fm^nitii/re  in  the  Elizabethan  and  Romanesque  Styles. 

We  have  already  c.xi)lained  the  characteristic  features  of 
these  styles  in  the  preceding  Section.  Tlie  basis  of  the  style 
is  Roman  and  Italian  art,  but  the  treatment  of  deta,ils  is  far 
more  picturesque  than  in  the  strictly  classical  or  even  the 
Roman  style — sometimes  being  rather  rude,  and  even  grotesque 


mRNITUKE.  44f> 

in  character,  but  always  quaint,  and  oflen,  in  the  more  elabo- 
rately carved  specimens,  very  rich  and  magnificent. 

It  has  been  for  a  long  time  the  custom  of  architects  to 
decry  all  furniture  in  this  style,  as  debased  and  unworthy  of 
the  notice  of  a  critic  of  just  taste — and  this,  simply,  because 
it  abounds  in  caprices,  and,  in  its  principal  licenses,  ti-ansgresses 
the  strict  rules  of  classical  art. 

It  is  not  a  little  remarkable,  however,  that  notwithstanding 
this  constant  tirade  of  the  professors  against  Elizabethan  or 
Renaissance  fiu'nitm'e,  it  has  maintained  its  popularity,  more 
or  less,  for  nearly  three  hundred  yeai-s ;  and,  at  the  present 
moment,  among  lovers  of  highly  characteristic  and  expressive 
design,  it  is  still  more  admired  than  that  in  any  other  taste. 
Artists  have  always,  even  down  to  this  day,  and  at  a  time 
when  Louis  Quatorze  and  Grecian  fiu-nitm-e  is  most  in  vogue, 
significantly  borne  testimony  to  the  picturesque  beauty  of 
Elizabethan  or  Flemish  fiuiiitm-e,  by  introducing  the  antiqiie 
chair  or  table,  with  its  twisted  legs,  quaint  carving,  and  rich 
fringes,  into  their  pictm*es. 

The  ])idmresque  charm  of  this  kind  of  fumitirre  being 
conceded,  to  what,  then,  is  it  owing?  "We  think,  to  the 
domestic  feeling  which  pervades  it.  We  have  already  (page 
346)  given  our  reasons  for  the  peculiarly  domestic  expression  of 
the  twisted  column,  which,  modified,  is  a  largely  used  feature 
of  Elizabethan  furniture;  and  we  may  here  add,  that  in  the 
quaint  forms  of  Elizabethan  furniture,  there  is  a  certain  rustic 
freedom  of  design  and  quaint  manner  of  execution,  whicli 
seem  to  us  admii-ably  adapted  to  country  houses  in  certain 
styles.  It  has  a  homely  strength  and  sober  richness — like  tLc 
traits  of  a  nide  yet  fine  nature  but  moderately  subdued,  as 

29 


460  COUNTRY    HOUSES. 

compared  with  tlie  measured  and  chaste  development  of  the 
more  reguhirly  classical  features  of  the  opposite  style.  Let 
us  add  to  Uiis  the  dark,  mellow  tone  of  the  wood,  the  rich  stuffs, 
brocades,  velvets,  fringes,  etc.,  with  which  the  furniture 
is  covered,  and  we  have  additional  reasons  for  the  good 
effect  it  produces  when  tastefully  introduceil.  But,  above 
all,  it  is  undeniable  that,  to  the  present  age,  the  charm  of 
this  antique  furniture  is  in  its  roDuince — in  its  long  associa- 
tion Avith  times,  events,  and  names  that  have  an  historical 
interest,  and  that  move  om*  feelings  deeply  by  means  of 
such  powerful  associations. 

Economically  considered,  Elizabethan  furniture  has  hitherto ■ 
been  more  expensive  than  any  other — from  the  boldness  and 
variety  of  the  carving  it  exhibits.  But  it  is  likely  soon  to 
be  greatly  lowered  in  price  by  an  ingenious  mode  of  carving 
by  machinery,  lately  introduced  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic. 

AVe  may  here  remark,  that  the  French  are  by  far  the  most 
successful  in  their  niannt'acture  of  this  furniture,  stjded  in 
France,  Jitmaissance.  Their  designs  preserve  the  quaintness 
of  the  antique,  united  with  modern  comfort  and  luxury — while 
many  of  the  English  and  Flemish  designs  are  quaint  and 
grotesque,  but  are  of  much  less  value,  except  as  specimens  of 
the  luiluxurious  habits  of  a  past  age.  Tlic  antiquarian  may 
oflen  olitain,  in  foreign  cities,  genuine  old  specimens  of  furni- 
ture in  this  style,  of  great  richness  and  beauty,  and  at  very 
moderate  cost;  and  there  are  many  fine  specimens  of  Eliza- 
bethan chairs,  tables,  etc.,  brought  out  by  the  Puritans  from 
England  and  Flandere  to  this  country,  still  to  be  seen  in  fine 
preservation,  adorning  the  houses  of  their  descendants  in  Boston 
and  other  ])arts  of  New  England. 


FUENrrURE. 


451 


The  best  specimens  of  Elizabethan  and  Renaissance  furniture 
to  be  seen  for  sale  in  this  coimtry,  are  at  the  warehouses  of 
Ronx,  in  New  York,  and  Paul,  in  Boston. 

"We  may  here  repeat  what  we  said  in  the  preceding  chapter, 
that  Elizabethan  furniture  is  very  generally  employed  in  certain 
rooms  of  houses  in  the  Gothic  style — and  though  not  strictly  in 
keeping  with  that  style,  yet  its  intrinsic  picturesqueness  and 
constant  use  in  this  way,  in  the  finest  Gothic  mansions  abroad, 
have  given  it  a  kind  of  right  there  which  it  has  not  intrinsi- 
cally, by  its  origin.  It  is  so  much  richer  and  more  domestic 
than  strictly  Gothic  fm'niture,  that  it  will  always  be  preferred 
to  the  latter  by  most  persons. 

For  residences  like  Design  XXXII.,  Design  XXL,  and  even 
for  Design  XXXITT.,  Elizabethan  furniture  would  be  especially 
well  suited ;  and  for  certain  rooms,  as  the  library,  in  Design 
XXIX.,  it  would  be  equally  weU  adapted. 


[Fig.  284.] 


452 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


Elizabethan  furniture  is  too  expensive  for  cottages,  but  a 
very  simple  and  elicai)  modification  of  it — which  is  of  S^\^88 
origin — has  now  become  common  in  the  cabinet-shops,  is 
afforded  at  very  low  prices,  and  is  particularly  well  suited  to 
cheap  cottages  and  farm-houses  in  the  Bracketed  style.  TVe 
allude  to  sets  like  Fig.  268,  page  443,  and  the  one  shown  in 
Fig.  284.  Tliis,  one  of  Hennessey's  cheapest  cottage  sets,  is 
very  suitable  for  the  bed-rooms  of  the  simple  bracketed  cottage, 
as  Fig.  268  is  for  a  cottage  more  expensively  finished.* 

Chaii-s,  tables,  and  all  kinds  of  fumitm-e,  may  be  had  in  the 
same  cheap  style  for  bracketed  country  houses.  Fig.  285  is 
a  shaving-stand  fur  a  gentleman's  dressing-room — equally 
simple,  but  the  legs  turned  in  a  more  strictly 
Elizabethan  style. 

A  very  useful  tea  or  side- 
table,  which  folds  down  so  as 
to  occupy  very  little  room 
when  not  in  use,  is  shown  in 
Fis-  286.  This  is  now  com- 
mon  in  the  cabinet-shops,  and  '^^''^-  ^-^ 

[Fig.  285.]  "lay  be  had  with  twisted  legs,  or  tm-ned  in  the 
cheaper  knotted  manner  shown  in  Fig.  284. 

Fig.  287  is  an  easy-cluiii-,  or  lounge,  better  adapted  for  the 
siesta,  than  to  promote  the  grace  or  dignity  of  the  figure. 

Antique  forms  of  Flemish  or  Elizabethan  chaii-s  are  shown 


*  The  price  of  this  set,  at  the  ware-room  in  Brattle  street,  is  ?36 — made  of  black- 
walnut,  maple,  or  bircli.  It  consists  of  4  pieces,  viz.  No.  1,  a  bedstead;  2,  dressing- 
table  with  oval  glass;  3,  wash-stand  with  towel-rack  on  the  back;  and  4,  set  of 
Ix'd-rooni  chairs. 


FUKNTTUKE. 


453 


in  Figs.  288,  289,  290.  Such  chairs  are  seldom  mamifactured 
for  sale  now,  but  as  they  are  comparatively  simple,  especially 
Figs.  288  and  290  (which  might  be  made  by  any  ingenious 


[Fig.  287.] 


[Fig.  288.] 


country  cabinet-maker  familiar  with  the  use  of  the  turning- 
lathe),  we  give  them,  as  aifording  hints  for  suitable  chairs  for 
the    sitting-rooms    of    substantial    farm-houses.      There    is    a 


[Fig.  289.] 


[Fig.  290.] 


strong,  honest,  rustic  character  about  Figs.  288  and  290,  that 
would  render  them  well  adapted  for  each  side  of  the  fireplace 
of  a  first-rate  farm-house.  The  chau-s  should  be  of  oak  or 
black-walnut — ^if   possible,  the  gi-owth  of  the  farm — and  the 


454 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


seats   stuifcd   with   hair  and    covered   with  leather  or  strong 
woi*sted-work. 

Elizabethan  cliairs  of  modern  designs,  suited  to  the  library 


[Fig.  201.] 


[Fig.  292.] 


[F.g.  203.] 


or  drawing-room,  are  shown  in  I'igs.  201,  292,  and  203.     The 
seats  are  covered  with  velvet  or  other  rich  stuffs,  and  bordered 


[Fig.  'JIM.)  [Fig.  295.]  [Fig.  296.] 

with  fringe.  Cliair.s  in  tliis  stvle,  but  uf  a  great  variety  of 
designs  and  highly  elaborate  carving,  may  now  be  found  in  the 
principal  warehouses  in  our  largest  cities. 


FURNITDRE. 


455 


Three  drawing-room  chaws  in  this  style,  with  high  backs, 
are  shown  in  the  succeeding  figures.  They  are  usually  made 
of  rosewood  or  ebony,  sometimes  relieved  by  gilding. 

A  tete-a-tete^  or  conversation  chair,  is  shown  in  Fig.  297. 
It  holds  but  two  persons,  who  are  so 
seated,  however,  as,  though  side  by 
side,  to  face  each  other  in  conver- 
sation. A  chair  of  this  kind  is  an 
agreeable  piece  of  library  furniture 
in  the  winter  evening,  placed  be- 
tween the  table  on  which  the  lamp 
stands  and  the  fire — as  the  w^ife 
can  sit  towards  the  light,  sewing,  while  her  husband  sits  towards 
the  fire  with  his  book  to  the  light,  in  the  best  position  for 
reading. 

The  flower-stand^  or  ja/rdiniere^  is  made  in  a  great  many 


[Fig.  297.] 


[Fig.  293.]  [Fig.  299.] 

forms.  Fig.  298  being  one  of  the  simplest.  Into  the  top  of  the 
stand  is  fitted  a  tin  or  Japanned  tray,  containing  wet  sand,  and 
the  flowers  are  arranged  upon  the  wire  trellis-work  above  it. 


456 


COUNTKY    HOCSES. 


A  icliat-not^  or  ctafjerc^  in  this  style,  suitable  for  the  corner 
of  a  cottage  i)arlor,  is  shown  in  Fig.  299.  It  is  a  very  useful 
repository  for  books  and  other  little  articles. 


[KiK.  300.] 

Fig.  30U  id  a  largo  and  liandriuuic  etagcre^  of  French  design, 
suitable  for  the  drawing-room  of  a  villa.  In  the  centre  is  a 
handsome  mirror,  on  either  side  of  which  arc  shelves  for  articles 
of  virtu — b(»u<|uets  of  flowers,  scientific  curiosities,  or  whatever 
else  of  this  kind  the  owner  may  indulge  his  taste  in. 

An  EiizaljitJian  sldehoard^  of  l)eautiful  form  and  propor- 
tions, copied  from  one  designed  and  executed  by  l*latt,  of 
New  York,  is  shown  in  Fig.  301.  This  is  in  the  best  Renais- 
sance taste,  and,  while  it  has  none  of  the  defects  of  the  iiider 
and  more  mixed  Flemish  designs,  it  has  more  elegance  and 
more  domestic  beauty  than  any  design  in  a  strictly  classical  or 
Gothic  stvle. 


FrUNIlL'UK. 


45Y 


[Fig.  301.] 

The  fine  group  of  Elizabethan  fumitra-e.  Fig.  302,  showing 
a  richly-carved  bookcase, 
sofa,  and  table,  executed  in 
dark  oak,  is  taken  fi'om  the 
library  at  Wodenethe,  the 
residence  of  our  neighbor, 
H.  W.  Sargent,  Esq.  The 
whole  fui'niture  of  this 
library  is  in  the  same 
style,  and  the  effect  is  very 
rich  and  striking. 

The  handsome  bedstead, 
with  canopy.  Fig.  303,  is 
from  "Wood's  designs,  and 
is  a  successful  combina- 
tion of  the  antique  beauty 
of  the  Elizabethan,  with 
strictly     modern      require-  C^e-  ^*^^ 

ments  as  reo;ards  comfort  and  eleo-ance. 


458 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


*-^o*a 


[Fig.  303.] 


[Hg.  304.] 


[Fig.  303.] 


[Pig.  306.] 


FUENTTUEE. 


459 


Fig.  304  is  a  toilet-table  in  this  style.  To  show  how  chaste 
and  beautiful  even  this  style  becomes  when  treated  by  artists 
of  taste,  we  give  the  three  accompanying  designs,  which  are 
excellent  specimens  of  the  modern  Renaissance  school  of 
design.  The  fii'st  (Fig.  305)  is  a  dressing-table,  the  second 
(Fig.  306)  a  wardrobe,  and   the  third  (Fig.   307)  a  bedstead. 


[Fig.  307.] 


These  would  be  highly  characteristic  and  appropriate  for  the 
guest  chambers  of  such  a  house  as  Design  XXXIII.,  as  they 
are  essentially  Romanesque  in  their  whole  composition. 


[Fig.  308.] 


460 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


m0 


Furnitui'e  fw  a  hall.,  in  a  strictly  Romanesque  or  Norman 
style  (like  Designs  XXI.  and  XXXIIL),  is  shown  in  Fig.  308 
and   Fiff.   309.     Further  ideas  of  draM'inrr- 
room  furniture,  in  this  style,  may  be  gath- 
ered from  a  glance  at  Fig.  182 ;  we  may 
remark,  however,  that  as  most  of  the  fumi- 
tm-e  designed  in  this  antique  Romanesque 
or  Norman  manner  is  too  clumsy  and  heavy 
for  modem  use,  it  should  be  confined  to     I       , 
the  entrance-hall  and  passages  of  residences  ^     111***         |  / 
in   this  style,  and   the  more  domestic  fur-    '*'**^       '"•**»£ 
niture  of  the   Elizabethan   or  Renaissance  '^'^"  ^^'^ 

taste  used  for  the  drawing-rooms  or  parlors. 


WARMING   AND   VENTILATING.  461 


SECTIO^^     XIII. 
WARMING  AND  VENTILATING. 

Theee  is  no  subject  directly  counected  with  domestic  life 
on  wliicli  there  is  so  large  au  amount  of  popular  ignorance  as 
ventilation.  When  a  man  is  hungry,  nature  compels  him  to 
cry  out  for  food  and  drink ;  and  as  necessity  makes  such  the 
most  immediate  and  pressing  of  all  wauts,  he  undertakes  to 
supply  them  before  all  others.  Yet,  men  have  been  known  to 
live  without  food  for  five  weeks,  though  any  person  wholly 
deprived  of  air  will  die  in  three  minutes. 

The  want  of  attention  to  ventilation  arises  from  the  fact  that 
the  poison  of  breathing  bad  air  is  a  slow  one,  and  though  its 
effects  are  as  certain  as  those  which  follow  from  taking  doses 
of  prussic  acid,  yet  they  are  only  observed  remotely,  and  little 
by  little.  JSTature  does  not  immediately  protest  against  slightly 
impure  air  as  against  want  of  food  and  water,  and,  therefore, 
we  go  on  from  day  to  day,  suffering  the  accumulated  evils 
resulting  from  om*  ignorance,  and  only  wondering  at  our  want 
of  physical  health  and  spirits. 

Let  us  glance  very  briefly  at  the  process  of  respiration  and 
its  results. 

A  healthy  man  takes  in  about  a  pint  of  air  (40  cubic  inches) 
at  every  breath  or  inspiration.  As  the  amount  of  respirations 
in  an  horn-  is  1080,  it  follows  that  every  twenty-fowr  Jiowrs  Tie 
takes  into  the  lungs  fifty-seven  hogslieads  of  air. 


4C2  CX)TJNTEY   HOUSES. 

What  is  the  use  of  tliis  enormous  amount  of  fresh  air,  which 
lie  must,  sleeping  or  waking,  continually  have,  to  sustain  life? 

The  answer  is  very  simple — to  vitalize  and  purify  the  blood. 
Tlie  human  lungs  are  the  apparatus  by  which  this  j^rocess  is 
effected,  and  the  atmospheric  air  the  agent  that  performs  the 
wc»rk.  In  each  of  our  two  lungs  there  are  one  hundred  and 
seventy  millions  of  air-cells,  and  every  time  breath  is  dra^^^l  in, 
the  air  passes  down  and  fills  these  little  air-cells.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  blood  is  always  going  and  returning  to  and  from  these 
air-cells  which  compose  the  lungs;  and  in  the  short  space 
of  time  that  it  renuiins  there — only  a  moment — it  is  entirely 
changed  in  its  appearance  and  character.  That  is,  it  comes 
mto  these  air-cells  of  the  lungs,  impure  and  of  a  2>^^W^^  color, 
from  the  veins,  and  after  having  been  submitted  to  the  action 
of  the  air,  goes  out  of  the  lungs  red,  pure,  and  bright,  through 
the  arteries.  The  arteries  immediately  distribute  again,  to  all 
parts  of  the  system,  the  purified  blood,  Avhicli,  as  it  goes  through 
the  system,  impairs  warmth,  strength,  and  life;  and  by  the  time 
it  is  poured  into  the  veins,  on  its  retm'n  course,  it  becomes 
quite  dark  and  impure  again.  And  this  process,  continually 
repeated,  is  what  is  called  the  circulation  of  the  blood.  "  "Wiien 
the  web  of  a  frog's  foot  is  placed  under  the  microscope,  the 
blood  can  be  seen  going  from  the  artery  into  the  veins, 
changing  its  color,  and  becoming  impure,  just  as  it  does  when 
it  goes  through  the  arms,  legs,  head,  and  body  of  a  man.  "When 
it  has  become  bad,  it  goes  to  the  lungs  to  be  made  pure  and 
bright  red  again  :  for  this  reason  the  Imigs  ought  to  be  in  a  very 
good  state,  as  they  have  important  work  to  do  ;  and  if  they  can- 
not do  their  Mcrk  well,  l)a(l  health  must  follow." 

After  this  concise  explanation  of  the  use  of  the  limgs,  and  the 


■WAKMING   AND  VENTILATING.  463 

vital  necessity  of  air,  we  must  add  that  the  air  is  not  a  simple 
but  a  compound  gas.  It  is  made  up  of  oxygen  or  vital  air; 
and  nitrogen,  a  gas  which  will  not  support  life.  It  is  the  oxygen 
which  vitalizes  the  blood  and  removes  aU  its  impurities  by 
contact  with  it  in  the  lungs.  The  use  of  the  nitrogen  is  mainly 
to  dilute  it ;  as,  if  oxygen  alone  were  breathed,  the  vital  force 
would  be  so  much  accelerated  that  the  system  would  sjieedily 
give  way,  and  death  would  soon  follow. 

The  substance  which  makes  the  blood  dark  and  impure,  and 
which  it  is  the  business  of  the  oxygen  to  remove,  is  carbon^  known 
in  a  more  familiar  form  as  charcoal.  The  process  of  breathing 
or  respiration  is  then  nothing  more,  in  simple  language,  than 
exposing  this  carbon  to  the  oxygen  and  hurning  it,  as  we  burn 
charcoal  in  a  furnace ;  and  Professor  Liebig  has  estimated  that 
in  the  process  of  respiration,  carbon,  equivalent  to  14  ounces  of 
charcoal,  is  bm-ned  within  a  man  daily,  which  is  the  source  of 
animal  life.  Now,  it  must  be  remembered  that  when  we  burn 
charcoal,  the  gas  thrown  off  in  its  combustion  is  carbonic  acid 
gas,  a  very  deleterious  one ;  and  this  is  precisely  the  gas  which, 
produced  in  a  like  manner,  is  thrown  off  from  the  lungs. 

The  atmosphere  which  we  breathe  is  healthy,  then,  because 
it  is  composed  of  oxygen,  or  vital  air,  diluted  with  a  sufficiency 
of  nitrogen,  or  unwholesome  air,  to  render  it  salutary.  But  as 
the  oxygen,  after  having  been  through  the  lungs,  has  been  taken 
up  and  combined  with  the  carbon  of  the  blood,  what  remains 
must  be  nitrogen  and  carbonic  acid  gas.  And  such,  actually,  is 
the  air  thrown  off  continually  from  the  lungs — a  mixture  of  two 
unwholesome  and  poisonous  gases,* 

*  " The  fresh  air,  before  it  is  taken  into  the  lungs,  is  composed  of  232  per  cent,  of 


464:  COIJNTRY   HOUSliB. 

We  arc  quite  unconscious  of  tlie  presence  of  this  bad  air, 
because  it  is  invmble  to  the  eye — though  the  oppression  at  the 
lungs,  in  crowded  or  close  rooms,  should  warn  us  plainly  that 
we  are  transgressing  a  law  of  health.  But  a  very  simple  experi- 
ment will  convince  any  one  of  the  diSerence  between  wholesome 
atmosi^horlc  uir,  and  the  impure  gas  that  is  expired  from  the 
lungs.  To  prove  that  air  which  has  once  been  breathed  is  bad, 
take  two  bottles  and  fill  them  wdth  clear  lime-water.  "With  a 
straw  or  tube,  blow  into  one  of  these  bottles,  so  that  the  air  from 
the  lungs  may  pass  through  it.  After  continuing  the  experi- 
ment a  few  minutes,  the  lime-water  will  become  quite  white 
and  milky,  showing  the  action  of  the  impure  gas.  Now,  take 
a  pair  of  bellows  and  blow  common  pure  air  through  the  same 
water  in  the  other  bottle,  and  it  will  be  found  that  it  is  not  in 
the  least  changed  by  it,  but  will  remain  quite  clear. 

It  has  been  well  remarked,  that  if  the  air  as  it  comes  from  the 
lungs,  impure,  and  robbed  of  its  vital  principle,  were  thrown  oflF 
colored,  so  that  it  would  not  mix  with  the  connuon  air  of  a 
room,  but  remain  visible  to  the  eye,  the  impression  which 
would  be  made  upon  the  mind,  by  the  presence  of  the  large 


oxygen,  "JS-S  of  nitrogen,  and  about  H  P<^r  cent,  of  carbonic  acid,  and  a  variable 
quantity  of  vapor  of  water.  Aftqr  it  has  been  expired  from  the  hmgs,  in  wliieli  it 
remains  from  10  to  12  seconds,  it  contains  a  hirgcr  quantity  of  vapor,  the  same 
quantity  of  nitrogen,  from  11  to  12  per  cent,  only  of  o.\ygen,  and  between  8  and  9 
per  cent,  of  carbonic  acid ;  so  that  nearly  one-half  of  the  oxygen  or  vital  element  of 
the  air  has  been  changed  into  carbonic  acid.  If  atmosjihcric  air  contains  3  5  i)er 
cent  only  of  this  latter  gas,  it  is  unfit  to  support  animal  life.  Air,  therefore,  which 
has  been  expired  from  tlie  lungs  contains  24  times  tliis  quantity  ;  so  that  a  ])crson 
who  inliales  GOO  cubic  inches  a  muiute,  renders  1440  cubic  inches  unfit  to  be 
breathed  again." — Bcrnan. 


WAJEtMENG   AND   -S^NTILATING.  465 

source  of  disease,  would  be  so  strong  that  the  first  of  all  inva- 
riably acknowledged  duties  for  the  preservation  of  health,  not 
excepting  cleanliness,  would  be  ventilation.  The  sickly  aspect 
of  children  confined  to  the  nursery,  or  to  the  close  air  of  towns 
and  cities,  as  compared  with  those  who  have  the  free  range  of 
countiy  air,  is,  perhaps,  the  most  familiar  illustration  of  the 
efiect  of  want  of  fresh  air,  and  it  is  only  the  more  apparent  in 
their  cases  because  they  are  more  delicate  thermometers  to 
measure  the  effect  by  than  older  persons — not  that  the  latter 
are  less  injured  by  it,  but  that  they  show  it  less.  We  are 
forced  also  to  attribute  the  general  want  of  health  of  women  in 
America,  and  the  paleness,  delicacy,  and  want  of  color  and 
bloom  upon  the  cheek  after  the  firet  few  years  of  youth  are 
past,  to  their  voluntary  in-door  life,  and  sedentary  habits,  in 
rooms  always  close,  and  always  badly  ventilated,  for  at  least 
five  months  of  the  year. 

Having  pointed  out  the  ignorance  regarding  a  supply  of  fresh 
air  in  our  living-rooms,  and  the  necessity  of  providing  for  it, 
let  us  investigate  the  simplest  and  best  modes  of  producing  a 
sufficient  supply  of  fresh  air  at  all  times. 

In  order  to  ventilate  a  room,  there  must  be  something  to 
cause  a  movement  in  the  air  within  it.  The  simplest  and  most 
common  means  of  effecting  this  is  by  means  of  the  chimney 
with  an  open  firej)lace.  Every  one  is  familiar  with  that  law 
in  nature  which  causes  heated  air  to  rise.  Now,  when  a  fire  is 
made  in  an  open  fireplace,  a  column  of  air  of  the  size  of  the 
chimney-flue  is  continually  carried  upwards,  taking  just  that 
amount,  continually,  from  the  air  of  the  room.  To  supply  the 
vacancy  thus  made,  the  fresh  air,  of  course,  is  constantly 
coming  in  through  crevices  of  windows  and  door,  by  which 

30 


466  COUNTRY   HOrsisS. 

means,  in  the  case  of  a  large  fireplace  for  hurning  wood,  a 
pretty  effectual  supply  of  fresh  air  is  maintained.  AVhen  the 
opening  is  made  much  smaller,  for  grates,  and  the  windows 
tighter,  as  in  most  modern  houses,  the  ventilation  is  far  less 
perfect;  and  when  close  stoves  are  used,  and  the  chimney-flue 
closed  up,  there  is  almost  no  ventilation  at  all.  This  explains 
one  reason  for  the  undeniable  fact  that  the  inmates  of  houses  in 
forest  countries  where  the  houses  are  not  very  well  built,  and 
wood  fires  are  made  in  large  open  fireplaces,  are  so  much  more 
healthy  than  the  inmates  of  modern-built  houses — especially  as 
regards  consumption,  and  all  those  diseases  that  grow  out  of 
derangement  of  the  respiratory  organs. 

Let  us  look  for  a  moment  at  a  room  in  a  modern  house.  Fig. 

310,  warmed  in  winter  by 


Ji'ta  III- 


J 


a  common  grate.  The 
only  means  of  escape  for 
the  bad  air  thrown  off 
tVoiu  the  lungs  in  this 
room  is  thrt)ugh  the  throat 
of  the  grate  a;  the  prin- 
cipal means  of  entrance 
^  ^  ^  lor  iresh   air  tlirough   the 

crevices  of  the  window  h.  Now  it  will  be  remembered  that,  as 
the  iinpiiro  air  expired  from  the  lungs  is  of  considerably  higher 
temperature  than  the  air  of  tlic  room,  it  will  naturally  rise  to 
the  ceiling.  The  njijtcr  part  of  the  room,  therefore,  after 
persons  have  been  breathing  it  for  a  few  hours,  will  be  mainly 
filled  by  bad  air — while  the  imperfect  ventilation  is  chiefly 
confined  to  the  lower  part — ?ay  bounded  by  a  line  from  the  top 
of  the  wiii(k>w  to  the  grate.     Hence,  the  heads  of  pereons  in 


WAHMING   AND   VENTILATING. 


467 


such  a  room  as  this,  in  a  winter's  day,  are  ahnost  always  in  a 
stratum  of  bad  air. 

Take  the  case  of  a  room  like  this  warmed  by  a  close  stove, 
and  it  is  vastly  worse.  There  is  now  no  escape  of  impure  air 
up  the  chimney,  because  the  fireplace  is  closed  up ;  and 
modern  stoves  being  constnicted  as  nearly  as  possible  on  the 
air-tight  principle,  take  up  scarcely  air  enough  to  cause  any 
appreciable  influx  of  fresh  air  to  supply  the  vacuum.  Conse- 
quently, the  persons  in  such  a  room  are  mostly  in  a  kind  of 
poisonous  air-bath,  where  they  are  continually  breathing,  over 
and  over  again,  the  impm-e  air  thrown  out  from  the  lungs, 
from  which  the  vital  principle  has  already  been  abstracted, 
and  which  is,  therefore,  as  certain,  sooner  or  later,  to  affect  the 
health  of  those  breathing  it,  as  an  anodyne  is  to  produce  sleep  ; 
and,  finally,  to  bring  about  confirmed  ill-health,  paleness,  and 
often  consumption. 

The  simplest  and  readiest  mode  of  ventilating  a  room  is  that 
of  introducing  a  cMmney-valve^  or  register,  in  the  flue,  near  the 
^^^mm^B/^gg^^g^^ggggg^^m  ceiling.       In    the    accom- 
panying    diagram     of    a 
room,   a  is   the   fireplace, 
h    the    fine,   c    the  chim- 
ney-valve.   Now  the   im- 
pure air,  rising  as  it  does 
to   the  upper  part  of  the 
room,  would  have   a  ten- 
dency to  pass  off  slowly 
But  whenever  there  is 


[Fig.  311.] 

through  any  opening  near  the  ceiling. 
a  fire  in  the  flue,  as  is  usually  the  case  in  winter,  when  venti- 
lation is  most  needed,  a  strong  upward  current  is  created  in  the 


468  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

flue  by  the  rising  of  tlic  heated  air  of  the  fire,  and  the  bad  air 
which  pours  into  the  chimney-valve  is  therefore  carried  off 
ra2)idly.  It  is  only  necessary  to  hold  a  candle  to  the  mouth  of 
the  valve,  and  observe  how  the  flame  is  immediately  drawn  in, 
to  become  fully  aware  of  the  action  of  the  valve. 

A  chimney  reguter  is  also  manufactured  for  this  pm'pose, 
which  is  inserted  into  the  flue,  and  acts  in  the  same  manner  as 
the  valve,  and  may  be  opened  and  shut  at  pleasure.  This 
answers  very  well  in  most  cases  ;  but  in  some  chimneys  it  does 
not,  like  a  chimney-valve,  always  prevent  the  escape  of  the 
smoke  into  the  room. 

Dr.  AuNorr,  of  London,  well  known  both  for  his  science  and 
philanthropy,  has  invented  a  chimney-valve  for  this  purpose, 
which  bears  his  name,  and  which  is  admirably  adapted  for 
ventilating  rooms,  where  only  a  moderate  supply  of  fresh  air  is 
necessary. 

AmotVs  chimiiey-valve  is  a  very  simple  box  of  cast-iron, 
with  an  iron  valve,  so  simply  and  nicely  contrived  that  it 
remains  open  while  there  is  the  slightest  pressure  of  impure  air 
from  within,  but  closes  against  any  passage  of  smoke  from  the 
chimney  into  the  room.  By  a  neat  thumb-screw,  the  valve 
may  l)e  adjusted  to  suit  the  draught  in  any  chinmey,  or  to  remain 
IL    more  or  less  open.     Fig.  312   shows   the 

jIA-^ ^-"l     I   general  appearance  of  the  exterior.     It  is 

r  ^  U  I  ^'^'^^^^  ^^  cast-iron,  and  the  front,  which  is 
j  even  with  the  wall,  may  be  painted  or 
[Fig.  3ia.]  whitewashed  of  the  same  color  as  the  wall, 

so  as  to  be  inconspicuous.  It  is  easily  built  into  the  chinmey- 
breast  when  the  dwelling  is  erected;  or  ])ut  up  by  any  Imck- 
laycr,  in  half  an  hour,  in  a  house  alreadv  built.     Two  or  three 


WARMING   AIvT)   VENTILATING.  469 

bricks  are  cut  out  to  make  a  hole  in  the  flue,  and  the  chimney- 
valve  put  in  with  a  little  mortar  to  make  it  tight ;  and  as  the 
face  or  outside  border  is  wider  than  the  iron  box  or  body  of 
the  valve,  the  latter  can  be  set  w^ithout  visibly  breaking  or 
defacing  even  the  hard-finished  wall  of  a  parlor.  The  valve  is 
usually  inserted  on  the  side  of  the  chimney-breast,  near  the 
ceiling ;  but  it  may,  if  necessary,  be  put  in  front,  with  a  corner 
door,  and  concealed  by  a  picture  or  engraving  hanging  forward, 
so  as  not  to  stop  the  current  of  air.* 

The  sanitary  effect  of  Arnott's  chimney-valve  has  been  well 
tested  in  England.  Not  only  have  thousands  been  benefited 
by  having  the  air  rendered  pure  and  elastic,  giving  a  fresli  and 
healthful  sensation  to  the  lungs  in  rooms  of  private  d^vellings 
previously  close  and  oppressive,  but  also  in  several  hospitals 
and  other  public  institutions  crowded  with  sick  patients.  The 
mortality  has  been  sm*prisingly  lessened  by  the  mere  introduc- 
tion of  this  valve,  thus  carrying  off  the  bad  air  which,  but  too 
often,  loads  the  wards  and  stories  of  such  buildings,  and  puts  an 
end  to  the  lives  of  many  who,  in  a  pm-e  atmosphere,  would 
speedily  recover  health. 

To  make  the  ventilation  of  a  room  perfect,  there  should  be 
some  means  provided  for  the  ingress  of  fresh  air  from  without, 
as  well  as  for  carrying  off'  the  bad  air  from  within.  This  is 
especially  necessary  if  the  house  is  new  and  well  built — for,  in 
many  old  houses,  the  windows  are  loose  enough  to  permit  a 


*  We  sent  out  to  London  for  one  of  these  valves  when  first  brought  into  notice, 
and  have  been  so  satisfied  with  its  great  value  that  we  have  induced  Chilson, 
Allen,  Walker  &  Co.  to  keep  a  supply  constantly  on  hand  at  their  warming  and 
ventilating  warehouses  in  New  York  and  Boston. 


470 


COUNTRY   HOUSES. 


considerable  supply  of  fresh  air  to  come  in  to  supply  the 
vacuum  caused  by  the  outward  passage  of  the  bad  air  through 
the  cliimney-valve.  But  the  room  is  more  comfortable  if  the  air 
is  not  forced  to  enter  in  this  way ;  and,  instead,  some  provi- 
sion is  made  for  introducing  it  otherwise.  The  most  perfect  way 
of  doing  this  is  to  form  a  hollow  space  in  the  chimney-breast 
behind  the  bricks  or  lining  of  the  grate  or  fireplace.  This 
hollow  space  should  communicate  with  the  room  by  a  register, 
or  plain  slide,  about  equal,  in  the  opening,  to  the  chimney- 
valve  above,  and  with  the  open  air  by  a  pipe  or  box  leading 
under  the  floor  to  the  outer  wall,  or  some  place  where  there  is 
a  supply  of  fresh  and  pure  air.  In  a  room  arranged  in  this  way, 
pp^i^g  the  fresh  air  would  enter  from  the  outside — 
Fig.  313,  a — become  slightly  warmed  in  the 
brick  air-chamber,  at  the  side  or  back  of  the 
fireplace,  '5,  and  pass  into  the  room  through 
the  opening  at  the  side.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  air,  rendered  impure  by  respiration,  the 
exhalations  from  the  skin,  etc.,  would  rise  and 
^Jl- ■.    pass  out  of  the  c-hininey-valvc  at  the  top.     It 


[Fig.  313.] 


[Fig.  314.] 


would  be  best  for  the  circulation,  in  this  ar- 
rangement, to  have  the  opening  for  the  admis- 
sion of  fresh  air,  and  the  valve  for  the  escape  of 
bad  air,  on  opposite  sides  of  the  chimney-breast, 
instead  of  on  tlie  same  side. 

Fisr.  314:  shows  the  outside  of  the  same 
chimney-breast,  of  which  Fig.  313  is  a  section. 
In  this,  a  is  the  register,  admitting  the  fresh 
warm  air,  h  the  chimney-valve  for  carrying  oft' 
the  impure  air. 


WAKMING   AND   VENTILATING. 


471 


Unquestionably,  the  introduction  of  Aniott's  chimney- valve 
will  greatly  lessen  the  unwholesomeness  of  rooms  heated  by  close 
stoves,  since  it  will  carry  off  a  good  deal  of  bad  air ;  though  not 
all,  because  unless  the  cracks  and  crevices  of  the  room  are  very 
open  there  cannot  be  a  perfect  and  continual  circulation.  The 
only  stove,  therefore,  really  fit  for  the  living-room  of  an  iutelli 
gent  family — (we  mean  intelligent  respecting  the  poison  of  bad 
air) — ^is  one  which  provides  for  the  ingress  of  a  current  of  fresh 
air,  combined  with  a  genial  warmth.  Any  thing  like  a  heating 
surface  of  iron,  liable  to  become  red-hot,  which  destroys  the 
vital  air  rapidly,  should  be  shunned  like  a  pestilence,  and  a  fire- 
brick lining,  therefore,  demanded  as  an  absolute  necessity.* 


*  Perhaps  the  best  close  coal-stove  yet  invented,  is  Clark's  Patent  Ventilating 
Stove,  now  adopted  in  most  of  the  common  schools  about  Boston.  This  stove  is 
composed  of  two  cylinders  :  the  inner  one  lined  with  fire-brick,  in  which  the  fire  is 
made ;  and  the  outer  one  of  sheet-iron,  with  a  perforated  top,  and  a  regulator  upon 


it,  rising  and  falling  at  pleasure 
The  lower  part  of  the  outer 
chamber  stands  over  an  air-box 
or  pipe,  connected  directly  with 
the  open  air,  wliile  the  upper 
part  admits  the  air  into  tlie 
room  through  the  perforated 
openings.  In  this  way  the  space 
between  the  two  cyhnders  be- 
comes an  air-chamber,  drawing 
a  constant  supply  of  fresh,  cold 
air  from  out  of  doors,  and  dis- 
tributing it  in  a  genial  current 
in  the  room.  Fig.  315,  a,  shows 
the  interior  chamber  with  up- 
ward current  of  warm  air ;  and 


[Fig.  31.1] 


[Inside,  a.] 


[Outside,  A.J 


472  oouN'niY  houses. 

The  open  fireplace  is  the  most  agreeable  and  healtliful  mode 
of  warniin<i;  an  apartment,  and  next  to  this,  the  grate  witli  air- 
chamber  behind  or  along  side  of  it,  to  admit  a  warm  supply  of 
pure  air.  Whoever  can  aiibrd  these  means  of  warming  and 
ventilating  an  apartment  (in  connection  with  the  chimney- valve) 
should  never  be  persuaded  to  introduce  a  stove,  of  any  kind, 
into  his  room.  Next  to  this  we  rank  the  open  cliimney-grate ; 
and  nearly  as  good,  and  more  economical,  is  the  stove-grate^ 
with  air-chamber  within  it,  connected  with  the  open  air  by  a 
pipe,  and  with  the  room  by  small  openings  near  the  top. 
These  are  made  in  several  forms,  but  Fig.  316 
will  give  a  good  idea  of  the  general  appear- 
ance. Connected  with  Arnott's  chimney-valve, 
such  a  stove-grate  will  warm  a  rocm  nearly  as 
pleasantly  as  an  open  fire. 

It  should  be  remembered,  in  adopting  any 
grates  or  stoves  of  this  kind,  tluit  their  efficacy  in  entilating  a 
room  depends  mainly  on  the  introduction  at  the  same  time  of  a 
chimney-valve,  register,  or  other  opening,  at  the  top  of  the  room, 
in  order  to  cany  off  a  stream  of  bad  air,  and  to  afford  a  space 
for  the  entrance  of  an  equivalent  stream  of  pure,  warm  air. 
For  a  room  full  of  air  may  lie  likened  to  a  bottle  or  jar  full  of 
water:  you  cannot  p(Mu-  more  fresh  water  in  unless  you  provide 
also  an  escape,  somewhere,  for  a  part  of  that  which  already 

Fig.  815.  b,  the  ouL-iile  of  tlie  stove  with  the  rcguhitor  open.  For  a  hall  or  passage, 
this  stove  is  nearly  perfect.  It  may  be  bad  at  Cbilson's,  in  New  York  and  Boston. 
We  know  that  there  are  few  "notions"  of  which  our  people  are  fonder  that 
ttoves — of  all  descriptions — but  we  protest  against  them  boldly  and  unceasingly. 
Close  stoves  are  not  agreeable,  for  they  imprison  all  the  cheerfulness  of  the  fireside ; 
and  they  are  not  economical,  for  tiinuL!;h  they  save  fuel  they  make  large  doctor's  bills. 


WARMING   AND   VENTILATING.  473 

occupies  it.  And  with  such  an  arrangement  as  we  have  here 
suggested,  viz.  the  fresh  air  brought  in  warm  at  the  bottom 
of  the  room  through  the  fireplace,  grate,  or  stove,  and  the  bad 
air  carried  oiF  at  the  top  of  the  room  through  a  chimney-valve, 
an  insensible  but  complete  ventilation  is  kept  up,  in  any  room 
of  moderate  size,  without  any  trouble,  and  which  will  secure 
the  constant  purity  and  salubrity  of  the  air  to  be  breathed. 
Lamentable  indeed  must  be  the  perverseness  of  those  cogni- 
zant of  these  facts,  who  will  still  neglect  so  simple  and  cheap  a 
means  of  securing  a  constant  supply  of  fi-esh  and  wholesome  air 
for  the  lungs, 

Emerson's  Ventilators.  The  simple  means  of  ventilation 
already  described,  by  means  of  the  chimney  and  fireplace  is,  of 
com-se,  one  I.  calculated  to  be  used  solely  in  connection  with 
chimney-flues,  and  at  seasons  of  the  year  when  fires  are  needed. 
It  is  true,  for  the  most  part,  that  it  is  at  such  seasons  that  venti- 
lation is  mcr-t  important,  because  in  the  United  States,  for  the 
rest  of  the  year,  the  Yenetian  blind,  with  the  open  window,  is 
the  active  ventilator  of  most  of  our  apartments.  A  difficulty, 
however,  is  often  experienced  in  upper  rooms  in  summer,  in 
keeping  them  sufficiently  cool. 

This,  however,  is  largely  obviated  by  the  use  of  Emerson's 
ventilator,  which  we  have  already  explained  in  j^age  191. 

The  operation  of  this  ventilator  depends  neither  upon  fires 
nor  the  chimney-flues,  but  solely  upon  the  action  of  cm'rents  of 
air  on  the  ejector  upon  the  top  of  the  roof.  It  consequently 
ventilates  by  exhausting  the  bad  air  at  all  times,  and  its  action 
is  increased  by  the  diflferencc  in  the  temperature  of  the  air 
^vithout  and  within  the  house.  Hence,  it  ventilates  equally 
well  in  summer  and  winter,  and  helps  to  cool  an  apartment 


474  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

in  a  warm  part  of  the  house  in  July,  as  well  as  to  maintain  a 
pure  atmosphere  in  December. 

With  Emerson's  ventihatoi*s,  an  air-duct  is  carried  from  any 
room  or  ch»set  in  tlie  house  (which  is  to  be  ventilated)  to  the 
attic,  where  it  empties  itself  into  one  or  more  ejectors  placed  on 
the  roof  These  air-ducts  are  square  trunlcs,  or  boxes,  con- 
cealed in  the  walls  of  the  room,  and  opening  into  it  by  two 
apertm*es  or  valves,  one  near  the  ceiling  of  the  apartment,  and 
the  other  near  the  floor.  These  openings  (about  6  by  12 
inches)  are  closed  or  opened  at  pleasure  by  small  swivel-blinds 
connected  with  cords  and  tassels.  These  blinds  are  small  and 
ornamental ;  they  may  be  placed  in  the  least  consj^icuous  jtart 
of  the  room,  in  the  corner,  or  by  the  side  of  the  chimney- 
breast,  and  painted  like  the  wall,  or  architecturally  deco- 
rated. 

By  opening  the  lower  valve  of  the  air-duct  in  a  room,  the 
lower  stratum  of  air  may  be  carried  off  slowly ;  by  opening  the 
valve  at  the  top,  the  upper  current  will  ascend  more  quickly, 
thus  affording  means  of  changing  the  air,  more  or  less  rapidly, 
at  will.  (See  Fig.  318,  succeeding  page,  where  g  is  the  ejector 
on  the  top  of  the  roof,  connected  with  the  air-ducts  below,  d  the 
blind  or  valve  in  the  upper  part  of  the  room,  and  e  the  same  in 
the  lower  j^art  of  the  room.) 

If  only  two  or  three  apartments  are  to  be  ventilated,  it  may 
be  sufficiently  well  done  by  the  means  we  have  already  pointed 
out,  viz,  a  supply  of  warm  air  tlirough  an  air-chamber  at  the 
back  of  the  grate  or  fireplace.  But  in  most  cases,  when  tliis 
apparatus  is  introduced,  it  is  with  a  view  to  warming  and 
ventilating  the  whole  house,  or  a  large  part  of  it.  It  is,  there- 
fore, generally  used  in  coimection  with  some  means  of  warming 


WARMING   AND   VENTILATING.  475 

the  house  by  a  single  heating  apparatus  placed  in  tlie  cellar  or 
basement;  The  best  mode  of  doing  this,  yet  known,  is  either 
by  a  furnace  or  by  hot  water. 

Heating  hy  a  hot-air  furnace. — Hot-air  furnaces  ofier  a  very 
complete  means  of  warming  a  house  of  any  size — since,  by 
means  of  hot-air  pipes  and  registers,  one  fire,  in  the  lowest  part 
of  a  house,  may  be  made  to  warm  a  large  column  of  heated  air, 
which,  with  its  natm'al  tendency  to  rise,  may  be  distributed  to 
every  room  in  the  house. 

But  most  of  the  hot-air  fm-naces  hitherto  used  are  open  to 
the  strongest  objections,  on  account  of  their  unwholesomeness. 
They  are  so  constructed  as  to  heat  the  air  by  means  of  a 
sui-face  of  heated  iron,  raised  to  a  very  high  temperature — often 
quite  red-hot.  Dr.  Ure  has  correctly  remarked  that  as  "  cast-iron 
contains,  besides  the  metal  itself,  more  or  less  carbon,  sulphm-, 
phosphorus,  and  even  arsenic,  it  is  possible  that  the  smell  of  air 
passed  over  it  in  an  incandescent  state,  may  be  owing  to  some 
of  these  imperfections ;  for  a  quantity  of  noxious  effluvia,  inap- 
preciably small,  is  capable  of  affecting  not  only  the  olfactory 
nerves,  but  the  pulmonary  organs."* 

Let  us  suppose  a  house  heated  by  one  of  these  red-hot  furnaces, 
on  a  cold  winter's  day,  and,  as  is  usually  the  case,  a  great  quan- 
tity of  deleterious  hot  air  constantly  pouring  into  the  rooms, 
and  no  means  of  ventilation  provided  for  its  escaj^e.  It  is  easy 
to  see  that  only  good  constitutions  can  withstand,  even  for  a 
time,  the  injurious  effects  of  the  atmosphere  of  such  a  house. 


*  Many  persons  suppose  that  the  objections  to  a  furnace  may  be  wholly  obviated 
by  evaporating  water  in  the  air-chamber.  But  though  this  lessens  the  dryness  of  the 
air,  it  is  a  great  mistake  to  suppose  that  it  restores  its  purity. 


476  COUNTRY   UOU8E8. 

Hot,  stifling,  and  close,  its  atmosphere  produces  languor,  debility, 
headache,  and,  sooner  or  later,  pulmonary  diseases. 

No  funiace  is  fit  for  wanning  a  dwelling-house  which  de- 
livers the  air  warmer  than  120° — because  air  may  be  heated 
to  that  temperature  by  passing  over  iron,  without  in  the 
least  impairing  its  salubrity;  while,  if  raised  to  150°  or  180°, 
as  is  frequently  the  case,  it  is  sure  to  become  gaseous  and 
impure.  Kow  a  furnace,  to  perform  its  work  properly,  and 
deliver  waiin  air  instead  of  hot  air,  must  be  so  constructed  that, 
in  the  first  place,  the  fire  is  burned  in  a  grate  lined  or  surrounded 
by  fire-brick;  and,  in  the  second  place,  that  the  iron-heater  is 
so  far  above  the  fire  that  it  can  never  become  red-hot,  or  in 
other  words,  raised  to  so  high  a  temperature  as  to  vitiate  the 
air.*  Besides  this,  an  air-chamber  of  large  size,  connected  with 
the  open  air  by  an  air-duct  or  passage  of  twice  the  usual 
dimensions,  should  be  provided,  in  order  that  such  a  volume  of 
fresh  air  is  constantly  introduced  that  it  can  never  become 
raised  to  a  high  temperature  before  it  passes  into  the  room 
above. 

Tlie  best  hot-air  furnace  yet  invented  in  this  country,  so  far 
as  our  knowledge  extends,  is  one  invented  by  Mr.  Chilson, 
of  Boston.  \Ye  have  carefully  examined  several  of  the  best 
patents,  and  found  them  all  objectionable,  from  heating  the  air 
too  hot,  while  this  (which  we  have  satisfactorily  proved  in  our 
own  residence)  will  deliver  a  large  supply  of  warm  air,  heated 


*  Some  of  the  modem  furnaces  are  constructed  in  direct  violation  of  this  prin- 
ciple— with  the  heater  extending  horizontally — exposing  a  part  of  the  iron  directly 
over  and  very  near  the  fire,  as  if  contrived  purposely  to  make  tluit  part  rcd-luit.  It 
is  clear  that  the  higlier  above  the  furnace  the  heater  is,  the  less  it  will  become  heisted. 


WAEIMING   AND  VENTILATING. 


m 


to  that  temperature  which  warms  the  rooms  agreeably,  without 
deteriorating  it  in  quality. 

CJtilsmi's  furnace  has  the  following  merits : — First,  the  grate, 
or  fii-eplace,  is  lined  with  fire-brick,  so  that  the  sides  can  never 
be  made  red-hot:  second,  the  heater,  or  iron-surface  w^hich 
warms  the  air,  is  placed  high  above  the  fire,  and  the  surface 
which  takes  the  heat  is  so  extended  (by  causing  the  draught  to 
pass  through  a  series  of  pipes  before  going  into  the  chimney) 
that  no  part  of  it  becomes  violently  heated.  Third,  from  the 
arrangement  of  the  gi-ate,  a  very  small  quantity  of  coals  may  be 
burned  in  it,  rendering  it  economical. 

Fig.  317  shows  a  section  of 
Chilson's  furnace,  but  the  air- 
chamber  formed  by  the  brick- 
wall  which  suiTounds  it,  is  re- 
presented much  smaller  than 
it  is  usually  built — about  8  feet 
square  being  required  for  a  fur- 
nace of  moderate  size.  Cold  air 
is  represented  as  entering  on 
the  side — though  it  is  frequent- 
ly brought  in  beneath  the  fur- 
nace, and,  passing  round  and 


"H-  '"111 

J  i,'.  :ii7.j 

over  the  furnace,  goes  out  in  the  direction  of  the  black  an^oios 
through  warm-air  pipes  leading  to  the  different  rooms  of  the 
house.  The  draught  of  the  fm-nace  itself,  on  the  other  hand,  is 
shown  by  the  com-se  of  the  loMte  arrows  rising  from  the  fire, 
passing  through  the  various  arms  of  the  heater,  and,  finally, 
moving  ofi"  through  the  smoke-pipe  into  the  chimney. 

After  a  trial  of  this  furnace  for  five  months,  we  can  safely 


478  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

commend  it  as  remarkable  for  the  purity,  freshness,  and  mild- 
ness of  the  warm  air  it  delivers,  as  compared  with  half  a  dozen 
other  kinds  now  in  repiite,  and  as  capable,  in  connection  with 
suitable  means  of  ventilation  (?'.  e.  provision  for  the  escape  of 
the  air  from  the  rooms,  after  it  has  been  breathed),  of  perfectly 
warming  an  entire  house  or  building  of  any  kind,  in  a  whole- 
some and  agreeable  manner.* 

Heating  hy  hot  water.  This  is  the  most  healthful  and  perfect 
mode  of  heating  buildings  yet  invented ;  but,  as  it  is  an  expen- 
sive mode,  costing  about  five  times  as  much  as  heating  by  hot 
air,  it  has,  as  yet,  been  confined  to  town  houses  of  the  first  class, 
in  our  cities.  There  are  several  modes  of  heating  by  hot 
water,  but  that  to  which  preference  is  as  yet  universally  given, 
in  ISTew  York  and  Boston,  is  very  simple.  In  a  spacious  air- 
chamber,  in  the  lower  story  or  cellar,  is  arranged  a  large  coil 
of  pipes  connected  with  a  boiler  in  a  separate  furnace.  These 
pipes  heat  the  first  air  which  flows  into  the  air-chamber  from 
the  outside  of  the  house,  and  which,  after  being  heated,  is 
distributed  through  the  house  exactly  as  in  the  case  of  the  hot- 
air  fiu"nace. 

*  The  scarcity  of  good  servants  is  proverbial  in  America,  and  among  the  instances 
of  the  want  of  judgment  we  may  state  that  of  always  overloading  the  fires  {except 
on  very  cold  days !)  The  most  valuable  hint,  tliercfore,  that  we  can  give  any  house- 
keeper having  a  furnace  of  any  kind  is  this : — when  you  provide  a  winter  stock  of 
coal,  buy  also  a  few  loads  of  anthracite  coal  dust.  Use  this  as  a  moderator  of  the 
furnace,  in  connection  with  the  damper ;  that  is,  when  tlie  fire  is  thoroughly  lighted 
in  the  furnace,  have  it  completely  covered  over  with  a  coat  of  the  coal  dust  All 
servants  will  attend  to  this,  because  it  saves  them  trouble,  and  we  find  that  tlie 
coal  only  bums  out  half  as  fast,  while  the  possibihty  of  heating  the  air  too  much  is 
almost  entirely  lessened  by  its  use.  In  other  words,  the  use  of  coal  dust  will  not 
only  save  half  the  amrmnt  of  coal  but  give  a  much  pleasanter  temperature. 


WAKMING   AND  VENTILATmO. 


m 


The  superiority  of  this  mode  consists  in  the  fact,  that  the  air 
which  comes  from  a  hot-water  chamber  is  always  of  a  mild 
and  gentle  heat,  since  it  can  never  be  raised  to  a  high  tempera- 
ture, robbed  of  moisture,  or  injured  in  quality.  Consequently, 
it  is  never  either  hot,  or  loaded  with  the  Jlavor  of  cast-iron,  both 
of  which  in  many  hot-air  furnaces  so  largely  destroy  and  vitiate 
the  air.  For  this  reason  we  hope  to  see  more  attention  paid 
to  heating  by  hot  water,  so  that,  if  possible,  it  may  be  rendered 
simple  and  cheap  enough  to  come  within  the  reach  of  persons 
in  moderate  circumstances.* 

a  ^        By    connecting    Emer- 

son's ventilators  and  ven- 
tiducts with  Chilson's  air- 
warming  furnace,  or  the 
P  hot-water  apparatus  we 
have  just  described,  a 
house  may  be  warmed 
and  ventilated  in  a  very 
comj)lete  manner,  so  as 
to  combine  health,  com- 
fort, and  economy  in  a 
]  hio;h  degree. 

A  glance   at  Fig.   318, 
the  section  of  a  house  thus 
[Fig.  318.]  \varmed     and     ventilated, 

vein  make  the  whole  plain  in  a  moment.  In  this  figure,  A  is 
the  air-chamber,  with  air-warming  furnace  or  water-pipes  in 
the  centre.     B  is  the  cold-air  pipe,  leading  from  the  open  air  to 


*  Perkins's  hot-water  system,  and  various  other  modes,  have  been  tried  in  this 
coimtry,  but  have  met  with  little  approbation. 


480  COUNTRY   HOUSES. 

the  bottom  of  the  air-chamber,  A.  C,  C,  are  air-warming  pipes, 
conveying  a  constant  supply  of  fresh  warm  air  to  every  room  in 
the  house,  or  by  shutting  the  register  in  any  room,  to  all  but 
that  room.  On  the  side  of  the  room  opposite  where  the  warm 
air  entei-s,  are  two  ventiducts,  square  boxes  concealed  in  the 
wall  or  partition,  and  running  up  and  terminating  in  the  ejector 
on  the  roof,  G.  These  ventiducts  have  two  valves  or  openings 
in  the  room,  D  and  E — the  former  near  the  ceiling,  and  the 
latter  near  the  floor.  By  means  of  these,  the  whole  air  of  the 
room  can  be  equally  ventilated,  or  the  lower  and  upper  part 
separately.  When  the  temperatm"e  of  the  room  is  low,  and  it  is 
desirable  to  ventilate  and  yet  raise  the  temj^erature,  the  lower 
valve  or  blind  in  the  ventiduct  is  opened.  "When  the  room  is 
warm  and  it  is  desirable  both  to  ventilate  and  cool  it,  open  the 
upper  valve  also.* 

It  is  in  these  particulars — that  the  warm  air  is  introduced 
on  the  side  of  the  room  opposite  to  the  ventiduct,  that  there 
are  openings  for  regulating  the  temj^erature  as  well  as  the 
salubrity  of  the  air,  and  that  the  process  goes  on  quite  inde- 
pendently of  the  action  of  the  fire  in  a  flue — that  Emereon's 
Yentilator,  combined  with  a  proper  heating  apparatus,  is  superior 
to  the  more  simple,  though  highly  useful,  fireplace  and  chimney- 
valve.  The  greater  satisfaction  of  having  the  whole  house 
warmed  and  ventilated  by  one  combined  apparatus,  instead  of 
being  at  the  trouble  and  exposure  of  many  fires,  will  unik)ul)tedly 
bring  the  system  into  general  use.f 

*  We  advise  those  of  our  readers  interested  in  this  subject  to  call  at  the  Warming 
and  Ventilating  Warehouse  of  Messrs.  Chilson,  Allen,  Walker  <t  Co.,  351  Broadway, 
New  York,  where  they  may  see  Emerson's  and  other  apparatus  in  operation. 

f  We  have  a  great  love  of  the  cheerful,  open  fireplace,  with  the  genial  expression 


"WAEMING   AITD  VENTTLATING.  '  481 

The  difference  between  a  house  warmed  and  ventilated  in 
this  manner,  and  one  warmed  in  the  ordinary  way,  is  not  a 
trifling  one, — whether  we  consider  it  in  respect  to  permanent 
healthfulness,  or  the  mere  pleasure  of  sensation  at  the  moment. 
The  lassitude,  the  debility,  the  blanched  complexions,  which 
invariably  result  fi-om  the  pernicious  habit  of  heating  a  house 
by  furnaces  or  stoves,  with  the  fireplaces  all  closed  (as  they 
generally  are),  and  no  means  of  ventilation,  would  cease,  and 
persons,  living  in  the  same  houses  after  the  introduction  of 
proper  ventilating  apparatus,  would  be  surprised  at  the  elas- 
ticity, freshness,  and  pmity  of  the  air,  always  changing,  and  yet 
always  of  an  agreeable  temperatm-e.  There  are  many  persons, 
who  have  been  at  great  pains  and  cost  to  warm  their  houses, 
and  after  having  done  every  thing  "  to  make  the  house  comforta- 
ble," in  the  way  of  heating  it,  find  that  there  is  something 
oppressive  and  distressing  about  the  very  "  comfort"  they  have 
achieved.  This  is  wholly  0"\ving  to  the  want  of  fresh  air, 
arising  from  the  total  neglect  of  all  means  of  ventilation.  If 
they  would  but  consider  for  a  moment,  that  the  house  itself  must 
breathe,  by  means  of  its  current  of  fresh  air  coming  in,  and  its 
current  of  bad  air  going  out,  or  they  cannot  breathe  easily  and 

of  soul  in  its  ruddy  blaze,  and  the  wealth  of  home  associations  that  surround  its  time- 
honored  hearth.  AU  the  perfection  of  the  best  system  of  heating  and  ventilating 
does  not,  therefore,  banish  from  our  minds  the  desire  for  an  open  fire  in  the  h\-ing- 
roorn.  However  perfect  the  active  mutes,  hot  water  or  hot  air,  may  be  in  the  other 
apartments,  we  must  have  a  little  of  the  living  soul — the  glow  of  the  hearth — there. 
The  perfection  of  modem  comfort,  therefore,  we  consider  this :  that  the  whole  house 
be  well  warmed  and  ventilated  by  the  apparatus  we  have  described,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  wood  fire  in  the  sitting-room.  The  genial  temperature  of  the  rest  of 
the  house  will  make  it  necessary  only  to  bum  an  October  fire  there  ;  but  that  will 
give  a  look  of  life  to  a  house  that  would  seem  cheerless  without  it. 

31 


482  OOHNTRT   HOUSES. 

comfortably,  the  matter  would  speedily  be  righted.  Many  per- 
sons in  delicate  healtli,  who  fear  to  sleep  with  the  ^vindow8 
raised,  even  in  summer,  and  rest  imeasily,  therefore,  breathing 
the  bad  air  of  the  bed  rooms  over  and  over  again  the  whole 
year  round,  would  find  their  slumbers  far  sounder  and  more 
refreshing,  without  the  least  danger  of  taking  cold  by  draughts, 
if  the  rooms  were  provided  with  a  chimney-valve,  or  Emerson's 
Ventilator.  The  former  may  be  fixed  in  any  room  for  a  few 
shillings,  and  the  latter  can  be  made  to  ventilate  the  whole  house 
for  a  less  sum  than  the  cost  of  some  piece  of  furniture,  made, 
perhaps,  rather  for  show  than  for  use. 

There  is,  perhaps,  but  one  objection  which  can  be  raised  to 
Emerson's  Ventilators;  and  that  is  one  merely  relating  to  a 
matter  of  taste,  and  not  to  its  utility.  We  mean  the  appearance 
of  the  ejector,  or  exhausting  cap  which  is  placed  on  the  roof  of 
the  house.  This  is  decidedly  unarchitectm-al  and  stove-pijie  like, 
if  in  connection  with  the  outlines  of  a  handsome  country  house, 
though  the  besMooking  yet  invented. 

We  have,  however,  conceived  a  very  simple  means  of  over- 
coming this  objection,  and  submitted  it  to  Mr.  Emereon,  who 
has  approved  of  it.  It  is  nothing  more  than  making  the  ejector 
or  ventilator-top  architectural,  by  placing  it  in  an  open  cupola, 
corresponding  to  the  style  of  the  house.  In  this  way,  the 
cupola  (of  any  moderate  size,  so  as  not  to  have  the  pretentious 
^A,.  look  of  the  cupola  of  a  public  building)  may  be 

made  as  significant  and  characteristic  an  orna- 
'  mcnt  of  a  dwelling-house  as  a  chinmey-top,  for 
it    will    soon    come  to   be  recognized    as    the 


@ 


1^,  sign  of  pure  air  pro%'ided  for  the  inmates  of  the 


[Fig.  319.]        house.      Fig.   319   shows  the  external    appear- 


WARMING   AND   VENTILATINO. 


483 


[Fig.  320.] 


ance  of  such  a  ventilator  inclosed  in  a  cupola,  in  the  classical 
style,  and  Fig.  320,  in  the  Gothic  style.  The  effect  of  such 
a  featm-e  upon  the  roof  of  a  house  may  be  seen  by  turning 
back  to  Design  XXX.,  page  329.  In  many  cases,  a  lantern- 
cupola  of  this  kmd,  may  be  introduced  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  add  very  much  to  the  good 
effect  of  the  exterior,  or  aid  the  architect  mate- 
rially in  composing  an  agreeable  outline ;  since 
it  may  be  made  to  balance  a  stack  of  chimneys, 
and  restore  the  symmetry  of  an  otherwise  unsym- 
metrical  elevation.  In  some  cases,  two  venti- 
lator-tops may  be  required,  but  all  the  different 
air-ducts  from  the  various  rooms  below  may 
usually  be  led,  in  the  garret,  to  one  large  ejector  placed  in  the 
open  cupola. 

The  following  extract  from   Mr.  Emerson,  in  reply  to  our 
inquiries,  should  have  a  place  here  : — 

"There  is  no  objection  to  placing  an  ejecting  ventilator  in  a 
cupola,  as  you  propose,  provided  there  is  sufficient  space  above 
and  below  the  cap  or  opening  of  the  ventilator.     The  base  of 
the  conic  frustum  of  the  ventilator,  Fig.  321, 
(7,  should  be  as  many  inches  above  the  deck, 
or  floor  5,  of  the  cupola,  as  equals  once  and 
Li_|  a  half  the  diameter  of  the  tube  of  the  venti- 

TpT'  _  J     lator ;  and  it  imist  be  placed  as  high  above  a, 
^^'^jf  i""\   ^s  equals  once  the  diameter  of  the  tube;  while 
[FiK.  321.]  the  space  between  the  disk  or  top  of  the  ven- 

tilator <?,  and  the  ceiling  of  the  cupola  <?,  should  not  be  less  than 
twice  the  diameter  of  the  tube — and  no  matter  how  much  more. 
"I  do  not  mean  to  be  understood,  that  the  ventilator  wiU 


484  OOUNTRT   HOUSES. 

operate  quite  as  well  in  a  cupola  as  in  the  ojicn  space ;  but  I 
mean,  that  its  operation  will  be  satisfactoiy ;  its  exhausting 
force  on  the  air-ducts  being  diminished  more  or  less,  in  propor- 
tion as  the  wind  is  more  or  less  obstructed  by  the  pillai-s  that 
support  the  canopy. 

"  In  all  cases  where  ventilation  is  to  be  caiTied  on  tlirougb  the 
cupola,  there  should  be  but  one  ejector  or  ventilator-top,  and 
that  placed  in  the  centre  of  a  cupola.  If  several  rooms  are 
to  be  drawn  from,  then  that  one  ejector  at  the  top  should  have 
its  tube  partitioned  off  into  several  flues,  each  flue  being 
apportioned  to  a  separate  room." 

Boston,  Feb.  12,  1850. 

We  will  only  repeat,  in  conclusion,  that,  fond  as  om*  people  are 
of  improvement,  the  greatest  possible  improvement  in  a  dwelling- 
house — ventilation — is  as  yet  a  thing  almost  unknown  in  this 
country ;  though  we  predict,  that  in  a  few  yeai-s,  the  man  who 
warms  his  room  by  a  close  stove,  with  no  ventilator,  will  be 
looked  upon  as  little  better  than  he  who  should  more  openly 
undertake  to  poison  his  family  and  friends  with  a  brazier  of 
charcoal. 


THE     END. 


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